
Glass "RS/ \ Sfe\ 

Book__ ^^ 

Copyright^! 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



CONSTRUCTIVE BIBLE STUDIES 



EDITED BY 
ERNEST D. BURTON 



Cbtlfc IReltgton in Song an& Stors 



Walks with Jesus in His Home Country 



Cbilfc IReliQion in Song an& ©tor? 



WALKS WITH JESUS IN HIS 
HOME COUNTRY 



BY 

Georgia Louise Chamberlin 

AND ' 

Mary Root Kern 



CONSTRUCTIVE BIBLE STUDIES 



CHICAGO: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS 

1909 






< 



Copyright 1909 By 
The University oe Chicago 



Published October 1909 



Composed and Printed By 

The University of Chicago Press. 

Chicago, Illinois, U, S. A. 



24 88 2 6 



IN MEMORY OF 

MILDRED 

AGED 3 YEARS 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Introduction 



Part I 
Part II 



Series I. Childhood in the Home 
How They Saved the Baby's Life 
The Hero of the Mountain 
The Changing River . 
Jesus Playing, Learning, Helping 



PAGE 

xi 
xvii 



i 

12 

17 
24 



Series II. A Journey with Mother and Father 
A Loving Father — A Grateful Son . 

A Great Anniversary 

Resting by the Well . 

Our Anniversary, Thanksgiving Day 



Series III. A Journey with Mother and Father (continued) 

A Mother's Gift 

The Memory Stone 

A Great Visit in a Great City 

The Birthday of Jesus 



Series IV. Ideals of Conduct as Represented by Stories 
The Man Who Kept His Promise 
How God Keeps His Promise . 
The Man with the Clean Lips 
The Brave Shepherd Boy 
Another Brave Boy . 
The King and the Book 
The Hero and the Book . 
Our Book, a Hero Story . 



29 

35 
41 
46 



50 
56 
61 
67 



74 
80 

84 
88 

93 

97 

101 

106 



X CONTENTS 

Series V. Jesus Teaching about the Power of the Heavenly Father 

The Great Doctor in the City by the Sea in 

The Great Day of Fishing 115 

The Winds and the Water Obey Him 119 

Jesus' Call to Life 123 

Series VI. Some Things Which Jesus Said about the Love and Care 
of the Heavenly Father 

The Lily Fields . 126 

The Easter Story 131 

God's Care of the Birds 137 

The Good Shepherd 141 

The Lost Boy . . . . . 145 

God Providing for Us (The Story of the Coal) 149 

Series VII. Jesus Teaching How to Worship the Father 

Keeping God's House Clean and Pure 152 

True-hearted Worship . . 157 

Worship Through Prayer . . . 161 

The Value of Gifts 165 

Series VIII. Jesus Teaching the Law of Love 

The Unloving Turns to Love (Outside Story) .170 

A Dinner Party 178 

Visiting Friends 182 

Jesus with the Mother of James and John 186 

The Little Man 190 

In the Upper Room 195 

Songs 203 

Indices 255 

Books of Reference . . . . . 257 

Acknowledgments 258 



INTRODUCTION 
PART I 

In putting forth this, the second volume of Child Religion in Song and 
Story, it has seemed wise to adhere to the same general method as in the first 
volume. While the somewhat formal plan of the book, pre- 
ener senting each lesson in the setting of a service, makes its appeal 

to the Sunday-school teacher especially, it is felt that it can- 
not injure the use of the book in the home. There, as well as in the Sunday- 
school, it may be a great aid in the development of religious life, and such por- 
tions of each service as do not lend themselves to home work can easily be 
omitted. To the Sunday-school teacher the grouping of available elements in 
the preparation for the Sunday-school hour is very helpful. 

While the present volume of Child Religion in Song and Story, Walks 
with Jesus in His Home Country, need not necessarily be preceded by the 
earlier volume which is now entitled The Child in His World, we believe that 
the teacher will find herself able to present the lessons of this book with 
greater appreciation if she has already used the preceding series of lessons, 
and has become accustomed to the grouping of ethical ideas in a series, and 
emphasizing such ideas through a continuous period. 

As in the former volume, an attempt is made to give to each day's service 
unity of theme through careful selection of songs, prayers, song texts, and story, 
all to be supplemented and enforced by the manual work. In some lessons in 
this volume it has, however, been somewhat more difficult to maintain through- 
out the service its unity of theme, because the lesson was rather the introduc- 
tion of the child into a social situation preparatory to emphasis upon an ethical 
theme in a later lesson. Teachers are therefore warned that they will not 
find in every lesson the unity which prevails in the greater number of them. 

The general purpose of the lessons in this book is twofold, namely, to 



xii INTRODUCTION 

emphasize ethical truth and to give to the child a sense of the reality of Jesus 

and an attitude toward him. It is not intended that the lessons 
Purpose 

should give a chronological history of his life or a systematized 

presentation of his teachings. It is only desired that the children shall learn 

to feel a social relationship to Jesus in his boyhood experiences, and to admire 

his power and his qualities as a man. In teaching these lessons therefore it is 

necessary that the double aim should be kept in mind, and the lessons are so 

cast that the ethical thought seems to come naturally from the social situation. 

The term " orientation " is used to indicate this social background. 

It is intended that the main service should be conducted by one teacher 

and that the story shall also be presented by that teacher, the group work 

being conducted by teachers with small groups of children. If 
Organization ° _ , ", , , . , .',.,, 

possible these groups should not contain more than six children; 

only so can the best work be done. This general plan should not, however, 
make it impractical for the group teachers to take at times a whole lesson, 
telling the story and conducting the manual work. Such interchange of 
labor stimulates all concerned and emphasizes the necessity for the more 
thorough preparation of group teachers. 

The question may be raised as to the advisability of giving the same lessons 
to first, second, and third-grade children. The series to which this volume 
belongs contemplates issuing separate volumes for first, second, and third- 
grade work in time, but in the present condition of Sunday-school work it 
seems far more practical to keep the three grades including children from six 
to eight years of age who have not yet reached the stage of reading, together 
under one expert leader, the loss which comes from more closely grading the 
lesson material being more than compensated for by the cultivation of the 
religious spirit which comes from a unified well-worked-out service in harmony 
with the lesson. Children of this age are moved by music, prayer, the congre- 
gational feeling, and the details of the service quite as much as by the lesson, 
and few schools are at present equipped with rooms for separated graded 
work in these three grades. 



INTRODUCTION xiii 

Forty lessons are contained in this series. It has been found most 
practical to make the lessons extend from the natural opening of the schools 

in the autumn to some time in the early summer in order that 
en ^, ° the series may be completed while the majority of the children 

are in the school. It is hoped that the lessons which follow this 

period may be of a character to further emphasize the great law of love which 

is the ethical climax of the series. For this reason we suggest that stories of 

men and women who have lived according to the law of love be used for the 

summer work. For instance, stories of the work of Dr. Grenfel in Labrador, 

attractive stories of missionaries, stories from history showing brave deeds for 

the sake of one's fellow-men, and such stories from fiction as Ruskin's " King 

of the Golden River," and many others which might be named, which 

will be found in the public libraries. If the summer work can be conducted 

in small groups out of doors it will be much better. 

In the use of these lessons the teacher is particularly warned against too 

close adherence to the informal conversations as presented in the book. It 

is impossible for one not in touch with the situation in each 
Conversations . . 

school, and with the particular local environment, to frame the 

conversations which would be most appropriate for the individual school. 
The suggestions therefore are simply tentative and teachers are urged to use 
local color and local environment as much as possible, only keeping in mind 
n connection with each exercise its place in the service, and its legitimate 
contribution to the theme of the day. 

The question of prayer with such young children is a very important 
one. In many schools it is thought sufficient to repeat the Lord's prayer, 
but we hardly believe that that prayer provides legitimate expres- 
sion of the prayer-attitude in the child's mind Sunday after 
Sunday. To educate the child to voice his highest aspirations toward conduct 
and life in prayer is to start him on the right road. An attempt is therefore 
made to introduce such thoughts in the prayer as are reasonably natural to 
the child in his highest moments, and to lead him in the expression of them 



xiv INTRODUCTION 

rather than to follow the custom so frequently observed of praying for the 
children in an adult vein of thought. The Lord's Prayer is not omitted but is 
brought in gradually so that when it is fully used it has an association which 
makes it interesting. The interchange of song and prayer through the same 
words is also frequently employed, giving spiritual content to the song, and a 
simple and familiar form of expression to the prayer. 

In the text exercises a special feature is the frequent introduction of the 
song texts. Several new texts have been inserted and those contained in the 

preceding volume retained. Frequently the song text is indicated 

in the service, but it is hoped that teachers will use the song texts 
much more freely than the different services suggest. Let each text exercise 
close with one or two of the favorite song texts. Nothing will make the words 
and thought of these beautiful texts sink so deeply into the mind of the child 
as frequently to sing them. 

Attention is called to the new march song which it is hoped will combine 
something of the fervor of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and be less warlike 

in its thought. Association of this song with the different con- 
_ tributions representing benevolent activities of the children, the 

church, the Sunday school, and general benevolences is not 

inappropriate. We would emphasize here the educational value of cultivating 

the children's interest in specific benevolences, the results of which they can 

see and feel. 

A larger number of what may be termed "outside stories" is suggested 

in this volume, partly to break the monotony of the constant reference to 

„ . Tesus and partly to make more of a connection between the 

Stories ... 

remote times of the Bible stories and our modern life. The 

more we can get the children to feel that all life is one, whether its environment 

be remote or present, the more easily they will transfer into their own lives 

the ethical ideals which they gather from reading and stories. The teacher 

will miss the use of the stories of the birth of Jesus at Christmas and also the 

story of his resurrection at Easter. Lesson I, however, deals with the birth of 



INTRODUCTION XV 

Jesus, and it seemed better to use a story emphasizing the Christmas spirit 
for the Christmas lesson, letting the reminiscences of the birth of Jesus appear 
only in the songs. The anniversary element, however, is strongly emphasized 
in the thought of the celebration of the birthday of Jesus and also in the manual 
work of the day. 

Since the children will have a number of lessons about Jesus after Easter 
it is not wise to use the resurrection stories for the Easter lesson. There 
would be a sense of shock to the children in hearing the resurrection stories on 
Easter Sunday and then coming back to stories in which he is still living upon 
earth after Easter. Here again, therefore, another story is used and the usual 
songs again suggest the anniversary which is celebrated. In the case of 
either Christmas or Easter, however, if any teacher feels that the Bible stories 
of the birth of Jesus and his resurrection cannot be omitted, it is quite possible 
to introduce them, using, if any assistance is desired, the suggestions of the 
previous volume of Child Religion in Song and Story for these days. 

In the group work the teacher will find the plan similar to the work of 
the first volume, all having, however, more of a bearing upon the experiences 
of Jesus. Both songs and poems are added to the collection of 
anua leaves in order that the children may find their books more 

and more interesting. The group teacher is urged to keep in 
mind the fact that manual work is not provided as mere "busy work," but 
in order that the children may express by their hand work something of the 
ethical meaning of the lessons. In so short a period as that of the Sunday- 
school session every movement must be made to contribute to the general 
ethical impression, and with children the deepest impression is made through 
opportunity for expression. An occasional lesson will be found in which the 
work will serve simply to remind the children of the story, for it is not always 
possible to express naturally the ethical theme by manual work, and great 
care has been taken that nothing unnatural to the child of six to eight years 
of age should be expected. 

The author makes grateful acknowledgment of many expressions of 



xvi INTRODUCTION 

appreciation received from teachers using the first volume of Child Religion 
in Song and Story. 

To all these and to the multitude who are strangers to the volumes this 
new one is presented in the hope that it may be received with kindly judg- 
ment and may perform useful service. 

Georgia Louise Chamberlin 



INTRODUCTION 
PART II 

At first glance the teacher may be disappointed to find that in this second 
volume, with a few exceptions, all the music of the first volume has been 
repeated, but for these exceptions some very attractive songs have been 
inserted and some specially fine song texts. Upon second thought, if not at 
first, every teacher will realize that it is only in the continued use of a beautiful 
song that the children become permeated with its spirit and come to love it. 
It would therefore be wholly unpedagogical to introduce more than a few 
new songs in the second year. To the children who have just come from the 
kindergarten all the songs will be new, and the enjoyment of them will be 
much greater in the second year than in the first, and in the third than in the 
second. It is with keen regret that most children pass from the familiar songs 
of these early years to those used in the intermediate department, especially 
if, as in the case with the songs in this volume, they are chosen from the highest 
class, both from the musical and the ethical point of view. 

The leader is urged to become thoroughly familiar with each song before 
introducing it to the children. If a miniature choral society for Saturdays 
can be a part of the community work for a few months in the year, special 
attention can be paid to the tone quality of the children, and to technicalities 
of phrasing and expression. Teachers are reminded of the value of the wall 
charts in teaching the words of songs, enabling the children to take a natural 
position not possible where the printed page is used. The pupils should be 
continually led to perceive that the melody is only a beautiful vehicle for the 
words and that the singing must not be allowed to hide their meaning. 

To make the children's singing helpful to the spirit of the work, it is 
necessary that their voices be "expressive," that is, capable of expressing the 
feeling conveyed by the words they are singing. To be thus responsive the 



xviii INTRODUCTION 

voices must be flexible. This can be gained only where no undue effort is 
made for power. The "public-school quality," so called, is the loud, inflex- 
ible tone which carries the heavier part of the voice up beyond its normal place, 
producing a strained condition. This strident tone does not permit of grada- 
tions of power, and the singing becomes monotonous and inexpressive. It may 
be corrected in small children by the simple device of allowing them to sing 
the scale downward from high to low doh, using the syllable loo on each pitch. 
Attention can be directed to the quality of tone thus produced, the superiority 
of its lightness and sweetness being obvious. The singing of a passage which 
seems to invite the strident tone may be correctly sung by using the same device, 
repeating with loo on each pitch. 

Care must be exercised not to give the children a sense of being sup- 
pressed in the effort to correct overloud singing, lest the result be a joyless 
tone, lacking vitality. A few suggestions as to the beauty of the musical climax 
will direct their energy aright. Lead the children to see that not only do they 
require gentle or more forceful singing in order to express the meaning of the 
words, but that the melody alone usually has a part which should stand out as 
more important than the rest of the phrase. To give this its proper force, 
they must use moderate power until the musical climax is reached. There all 
the power compatible with sweetness will be necessary to give the desired effect. 

Thorough familiarity with the songs contained in the following lessons 
will be of distinctly educative value to the children. 

Mary Root Kern 

Chicago, III. 
July 1909 



SERIES I 

CHILDHOOD IN THE HOME 

orientation: SCENES OF JESUS' childhood 

Before attempting to teach any of the following lessons, the teacher 
should read very carefully the introduction, should consider thoughtfully the 
two elements suggested in each lesson, namely, the ethical principle underlying 
the lesson and the social environment in which that principle is embodied. 
He should study an entire group of lessons at one time, noting how the different 
lessons present different phases of ethical and social teaching. He should, 
above all, seek continually to live in the atmosphere of the child's thought and 
feeling, keeping himself in the closest sympathy with the child life which 
he is presenting, as well as with the child upon whose receptivity he depends 
to comprehend and accept his message. 

The general aim of the four lessons constituting the first series is (a) to 
suggest Jesus in his home in the friendly relation of care and service with his 
parents; (b) to lead the children to repeat in their own lives the simple con- 
fidence, and affection of Jesus for his parents; (c) to feel the thrill of ad- 
miration for the deeds of the heroes of his country, learned in stories from 
his mother's lips; and (d) to render the happy service which every child in 
common with Jesus normally gives to the parent who has rightly associated 
himself with the, child's interest and activity. 

LESSON I 

1bow Ubes Savefc tbe Babe's Xtfe 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

To furnish a stimulus to the child which will result in an increased con- 
fidence in his parents, their ability to protect him, their wisdom to guide him. 
The material of the lesson might easily be handled in such a way as to suggest 



2 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

fears rather than confidence. The aim should therefore be kept continually 
in mind and the whole story viewed from the point of view of this chief purpose. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

General: In this and all following lessons the teacher should first read 
through the whole lesson and if possible the whole group of lessons under 
consideration. Every song should be studied, and its relation to the particular 
lesson and to the group of lessons noted. Such texts as seem most appropriate 
for the class should be selected in order that at the proper time emphasis may 
be laid upon them. The conversations should be fully planned. New 
features of individual lessons must be prepared if preparation for these is 
necessary. The teacher should note whether there is an appropriate element 
of prayer in the service, which he can render more effective in the lives of the 
children by thoughtful consideration of it. Most of all he must study the 
unifying theme of the entire service and let its thought, whatever it may be, so 
permeate his own feeling that it will be impossible for him to introduce any 
element into the service which will bring a jarring note or in any way reduce 
the effectiveness of the unified service as a whole. 

These suggestions will not be repeated in connection with following lessons 
since they are of so essential a character that no teacher will forget or overlook 
the necessity of this larger preparation. Suggestions under this head in 
future lessons will have to do only with the actual topic which is to be pre- 
sented. 

In preparing for the work of Lesson I, in addition to the general prepara- 
tion named above, read the stories of the birth of Jesus in Luke, chap. 2, and 
Matt., chap. 2. Read also from Edersheim's Life of Jesus, pp. 121-32, or 
Burton and Matthews' The Life of Christ, Introduction, or from such 
other sources as you can command, the facts concerning the life, ambitions, 
and character of Herod the Great. 1 Note that the town of Bethlehem was 

1 The best dictionaries of the Bible are Hastings, A Bible Dictionary, 6 vols., a one-volume 
dictionary by the same author, and the Standard Bible Dictionary, i vol. 



HOW THEY SAVED THE BABY'S LITE 3 

a small town and probably the number of children slaughtered by Herod was 
not more than twenty, and therefore in the multiplicity of violent deeds of 
his day would not take a large place in the minds of historians of his time. 

Remember in all your study of these stories that your purpose is to lay 
hold upon, not the horror of the situation, but the strength and love and 
wisdom of the parents who were by reason of these qualities to save the life 
of the child whose death Herod is said to have sought. We must also bear 
in mind that at the Christmas season these stories will be revived and we can 
therefore afford to touch lightly upon some points in order to lay emphasis upon 
others. 

That you may understand the historical situation more thoroughly read 
also concerning the Jewish anticipation of the Messiah who was to reign as 
king, so well understood by Herod, and devoutly shared by the religious 
Jews of his day. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF LESSON 1 

Greeting — 

Leader: "Good morning," or "Good afternoon." 

Children: Appropriate response. 

Leader: "This is the Sabbath day." 

Children: "Let us go into the house of the Lord." 

Leader: "The Lord is in his holy temple." 

Children: "Let all the earth keep silence before him." 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: The point of contact for the introduction of this 

1 If announcements are to be made they may be introduced before the conversation or after 
the birthday offering, so as not to interrupt the thought of the children after the theme of the day 
is presented, unless the announcements are such as naturally relate themselves to the theme. In 
the apportionment of time for each part of the service, not more than five minutes should be given 
to the "Conversation" and fifteen minutes to the "Lesson Story." This should leave twenty- 
five minutes at the disposal of the group-teachers. Since the children work slowly, it is of the 
greatest importance that they should have plenty of time for the notebook work. 



4 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

theme must be that of the joy of the coming of a little one into the home. 
The children will gladly speak of the babies whom they know and love. The 
teacher can easily direct their thought to the loving care of the parents in 
such detail as seems best, but the conversations should always be very brief 
and should seek only to direct or attune the children's minds to the theme of 
the day, which may or may not have already been presented by the song. 
This conversation may well end with a suggestion of the care of the Heavenly 
Father and will lead to the note of prayer which follows. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 234) 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name. 
Prayer — 

Teacher: Our Father, thy little children seek thy care and favor. They 
desire to please thee in all things. They long to know thee and to be thy 
willing helpers. Let us be thy helpful, happy children all through the year. 
In the name of Jesus we pray. Hear thou our prayer. Amen. 

Soilg — ■ (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the With a father's kindness gives them daily 

angels mild, bread, 

God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 

child: Tell all little children of this Father true- 

Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; Who will ne'er forsake them, if his will they 
Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. do. 

Psalm 100. All: 

Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands. 

Serve Jehovah with gladness: 

Come before his presence with singing. 

Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: 

It is he that hath made us, and we are his: 

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, 

And into his courts with praise: 

Give thanks unto him, and bless his name. 

For Jehovah is good: his loving-kindness endure th for ever, 

And his faithfulness unto all generations. 



HOW THEY SAVED THE BABY'S LITE 5 

Text Exercise 1 — (See Introduction) 

Let the text exercise first call from the children any texts which they 
know which suggest the love and care of father and mother or the Heavenly 
Father. Suggest to them and repeat with them such of the following texts 
as you think wise. These are the texts for the entire first series of lessons. 
If it seems better, select only one and add one each Sunday. Children are 
able, however, if a thought is properly correlated with the stories or with 
their interests to learn several texts and to hunt up others which bear on the 
same subject. 

Do not discountenance other texts, but lead the children back to the 
theme, and let them repeat the most appropriate texts in concert, as well as 
individually. 

Luke 6:36: Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 

John 8:41: We have one Father, even God. 

I John 2:1: Beloved, now are we the children of God. 

Col. 3:20: Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well -pleasing to the 
Lord. 

Mai. 3: 17: And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of Hosts; and I will spare them as 
a man spareth his own son. 

Isa. 43: 2: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: 
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. 

Gal. 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 244) 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 

So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him; 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 

So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him. 

1 A text exercise for little children is always of value, but it is of much greater value when 
the children are so guided in their selection of texts for recitation that they are obliged to con- 
sider the meaning of the text before giving it. Many children can repeat rapidly text after text 
without a thought of the meaning. It is merely a mechanical exercise, valuable because it lodges 
certain phrases in the mind of the child which may at some time present a helpful stimulus to 
action; but a text exercise in which the children are kept to a certain theme is far more valuable 
and makes a far deeper religious impression. Such an exercise requires more skill on the part of 
the leader, but it is a skill which will be easily acquired through thought and experience. 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



March Song and Offering — (Special attention is called to the song below, 
as combining some of the popular elements of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" 
with words better suited to modern Christian thought.) (For music see p. 205) 

Forward, Christian children, 

With your banners gay, 
Glad your hearts and voices, 

On this happy day; 
Jesus is your leader 

In the cause of right. 
He will never fail you, 

Forward in your might. 

Chorus: 

Forward to the battle, 

For the good and true, 
Jesus is your captain, 

He is leading you. 



Now we'll be your soldiers, 

Standing firm and true, 
Trusting thee to help in 

Everything we do; 
All kind words and actions, 

Thou wilt well repay, 
If we follow closely, 

In the heavenly way. 
(Chorus) 



Here, O, Lord, we'll thank thee, 

For the blessings past, 
Here pledge hearts and voices, 

While our lives shall last; 
Make us thine own children, 

And we'll happy be, 
In that world of beauty, 

Afterward with thee. 
(Chorus) 



LeSSOn Story 1 (See Introduction) 

Jesus was the very greatest man who ever lived in all the world. He 

1 The stQry is told somewhat more fully than will be the general custom in order to show 
just what is meant by the use of a story for a certain purpose rather than the mere telling of the 
story for its own sake. Note that the actual massacre of the infants is omitted entirely. If this 
were inserted it would be likely to fill the mind of the child with a sense of horror. The feeling 
of admiration for the power and wisdom of the parents of Jesus would be overshadowed by the 
wickedness of the king. 

It is not intended that the teacher should feel it necessary to tell the story exactly as it is 
given here, nor in any future lessons will this be the case. The material given under this head 
is intended to be suggestive only. To go farther than this would be to take from the teacher the 
stimulus for careful preparation of stories and the pleasure of framing the story with the particular 
children of her class in mind. 



HOW THEY SAVED THE BABY'S LITE 7 

was so great that the things which he did and the words which he said make 
men great and good today after two thousand years have passed. He was 
so great that all the people who love him are called Christians because he 
was called the Christ. Many people who lived in the olden times thought 
that the greatest heroes first appeared upon the earth in some wonderful way. 
They tell stories of Diana, the great huntress, who sprang from a tree full 
grown, and of Venus, who came forth from the foam of the sea, Minerva, 
who sprang full grown from the head of her father, and many other strange 
and wonderful stories. In these stories the great men and women came into 
the world full grown, but Jesus, the greatest hero the world has ever known, 
came into the world a little baby boy who looked just like the babies that you 
know. This was how it happened. 

In a far-away country across the ocean and then across another great 
sea, along a country road, Mary and her husband Joseph were making their 
way to Bethlehem, the place where their grandfathers had lived. Many 
other people were passing this way for the king had called for money and 
the people must pay a tax in order that the king might have the money 
which he needed — each one a few cents. It was the custom in that country 
for the people to go to the town where their grandfathers had lived, to pay 
this tax, because that was the place where their names were written down, 
and where the king's officers could find whether they had paid their tax or 
not. 

When Mary and Joseph came to the little town, which, was not a city 
like ours, but had just one long street, they saw on either side the little one- 
story houses built of clay, with no front doors on the street, but little doors 
opening into walled yards and away down the street the village inn. 

In that country they did not always have barns for the cows and sheep 
and the oxen that did the work in the fields, but under the house was a room 
with rude stalls and mangers for the comfort of these beasts, who worked all 
day, plowing the land, harvesting the grain, and threshing it out for flour, with 
which to make bread. Sometimes this room was hollowed out in the ground 



8 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

and sometimes it was above the ground, but usually under the same roof as 
the rooms where the people lived. 

Mary and Joseph stopped at the inn, hoping to find there a room in 
which to spend the night, but they were told that all the rooms were full, because 
so many other people had come to Bethlehem before them that day — people 
coming to pay their taxes too. But in the room where the cattle were there 
was space and so for that one night at least Joseph and Mary felt glad to lie 
down in the room with the oxen, with the sweet smell of the hay about them, 
and the quiet lowing of the oxen in their ears. There on that first night was 
born a beautiful baby. With no other bed upon which to place him the 
manger full of sweet hay served as a cradle. 

People have told us many stories of wonderful things that happened that 
night — indeed, of other things that happened long before: how an angel came 
to Mary once and told her that her baby when he came into the world would 
become the great king whom the Hebrew people were expecting, to take the 
place of the wicked king who was then upon the throne. They tell us too, 
and we shall talk more about this at Christmas time, of how the angels on 
that night appeared to shepherds keeping their flocks out on the hillside, and 
told them about the wonderful baby who was born in Bethlehem, and the 
story of the star which led the wise men over the desert from far away to see 
the baby who was to be the king of his people, and how all these men, the 
shepherds and the wise men, came to see the baby on that night and brought 
him gifts and told his mother how glad they were that he was born. This we 
know at least, that Mary named her baby "Jesus," which means "the one 
who saves," and we believe that she too was thinking of the promised king 
who was to save his people, who would some day bring peace and joy into the 
world. How glad the father and mother were to see the baby boy, how 
tenderly they cared for him, how they thought of the long years in which he 
would be a joy to them, their firstborn son, and how perhaps some day he 
would be a great, great man. 

In some way, we do not know how, it began to be reported about that 



HOW THEY SAVED THE BABY'S LIFE 9 

this baby who was born in Bethlehem was a very wonderful baby and some peo- 
ple said, " Perhaps this is the king." Now the king who was on the throne was 
a very wicked king. He had killed already all the men whom he thought might 
some day wish to be king. He cared more to be king than anything else in 
the world and he never thought how much he could do for his people, but only 
how much he could do for himself. He heard about the little baby and he 
said to himself, " I must find this baby and put him out of the way if I can. 
So he sent his messengers to Bethlehem to find the baby, but Mary and Joseph 
knew about the wicked king and knew that he would never allow a little baby 
to grow up, about whom people had said, "He is the coming king." So, long 
before this Joseph and Mary had talked about the king and had said to 
each other, "Our baby is not safe. We can never keep him until he has 
grown to be a man if we stay in this land. We must take him far away." 
So one night they started, Joseph and Mary and the little baby, Mary riding 
on the donkey and Joseph walking by her side, down the long winding road, 
through little villages, and across the desert plains to Egypt. There they were 
quite safe beyond the power of the wicked king. 

Was the baby going to be a little Egyptian boy then, living always in 
Egypt ? For surely his mother .and father would never take him back where 
the wicked king could find him. They loved him too much for that. They 
would gladly give up their own home and their country and leave all their 
friends forever in order that they might keep with them the little baby whom 
they loved. They cared more for him than all the world beside. 

We have a better ending to the story than that. The wicked king died 
and left all his riches and his glory behind him and in the hearts of his people 
hatred, and joy that he was dead. Joseph and Mary in another country, were 
not so far away but that they heard the glad news of the old king's death. 
They would not however take the risk of going near Jerusalem where the' new 
king lived, because they did not know him and still feared for the safety of 
their baby, so they went back another way and they took the baby to a little 
town in their home land far away from the palace of the king, a little 



io CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

town among the hills and there they kept the baby safe while he grew to be a 
strong, fine boy, filling their hearts with joy. How many times Joseph and 
Mary would look at the boy and think what danger they had saved him from 
and how precious he was to them ! 

Song — (For words and music see p. 229) 

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, 

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes, 

head. I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from 
The stars in the sky looked down where he the sky, 

lay — And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. 
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. 

Be near me, Lord, Jesus ; I ask thee to stay 
Close by me forever, and love me I pray. 
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care 
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: The work in the notebooks may be 
done more easily upon tables or small lap boards which can be of very heavy 
cardboard or of thin wood. The covers and title-pages of the book with the 
song " As Joseph was a-walking" may be given out and arranged in order. 
The title-pages should have been previously filled in by the teacher. 

Let the children tell stories of mothers and fathers whom they know 
and what they do or would do for their babies. The stories may be imaginary 
if it so happens. Have ready one or two little incidents which you can tell 
which show the wonderful care of parents for their babies. Let your whole 
effort be to lead the children to think of this relationship of love and care. 
Suggest the question, "Who makes mother and father do so much work to 
care for the little baby" and lead them to see that love does this. Raise again 
the question whether there is anyone who loves and cares for, protects and 
guides mother and father. Is there still a higher father, God, the Father of all ? 
As you talk let the children read the words of the song. Then let them paste 
the picture upon the leaf of the notebook and color with their crayons the 
border. Suggest that no frame can be too beautiful for the picture which tells 



HOW THEY SAVED THE BABY'S LIFE II 

us what a great artist thought the baby Jesus and his mother may have looked 
like. Call attention to the love in the mother's face, and let the children 
point out other features of the picture. 

Song — "Twas the birthday of a King.'''' (For words and music see p. 231) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — Leader: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee: 
Children: The Lord be gracious unto thee. 
Leader: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. 



/ 



LESSON II 

Ube 1bero of tbe flfcountain 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to bring the child into a sense of companionship 
with the child Jesus listening to stories at his mother's knee. It is possible 
to suggest through this story the courage of Elijah in the general sketch and 
the generosity of the widow in the special story. But these are secondary 
aims, the chief purpose being to lead the children to share in the joy of Jesus 
as he feels the kindness and sweet companionship of his mother. The natural 
step from this feeling as the children turn to their homes will be the appeal 
for just such companionship with their own mothers. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read all the stories of Elijah found in I Kings, chap. 16 to II Kings, 
chap. 2. Let the atmosphere of these stories sink into your mind, wonder 
stories used with a great ethical purpose, on the part of the compiler of the 
Book of Kings. This great purpose, however, is beyond the comprehension 
of a young child. The wonder element is chiefly felt. Read in the Bible Dic- 
tionary under " Elijah " and " Ahab." Study the map of Palestine in the time 
of Jesus and note that Mount Carmel, the mountain on which Elijah is said 
to have offered the sacrifices in his great contest with Baal- worship, is directly 
between Nazareth and the sea at a distance of not more than twenty-five or 
thirty miles, and that from the hills back of Nazareth it must have been easily 
seen and frequently talked of. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school. (See 

P-3-) 

Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

12 



THE HERO OF THE MOUNTAIN 13 

Informal Conversation — 

The point of this conversation should be to remind the children of the 
association of places and events. It might be a sort of symposium of famous 
places which the children have seen, but if there is in the neighborhood of 
your school some one spot which has been rendered famous by an historical 
event or even by a tradition, that will serve better than places which all the 
children do not know. For instance, in many small towns in New Jersey 
can be seen what is known as Washington Rock. This is the rocky summit of 
a mountain overlooking a section of the country in which some of the great 
battles of the Revolution were fought. It is said that from this rock Washing- 
ton surveyed the movements of the enemy and upon the basis of his observa- 
tions directed his own troops. There is no child within twenty miles of this 
mountain who does not know this story. So in many localities such spots of 
local significance will exist which may form the basis of this conversation, 
leading the children to feel that places where things have happened have 
special interest. 

At the end of this conversation lead the children back to the memory of 
the last Sunday when they were thinking with admiration of the care of the 
parents of Jesus as they bore him in safety beyond the reach of the wicked 
king. Suggest the Heavenly Father with his care. Let the children sing 
with you the opening lines of the Lord's Prayer. 

Prayer — (For music see p. 234) 

All (sing softly) : 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 

{repeat) 

Father dear, I fain would thank thee 
For my long, refreshing sleep, 
And the watch that thou did'st keep, 
While I slumbered soft and deep, 
O'er thy child so lovingly, 
So lovingly. 



14 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

oOIlg — (For music see p. 209) 

Praise ye the Father, his love is everlasting; Great is the Lord who hath shown his 
Praise ye the Father, let all the earth give glorious power; 

thanks to him; Who giveth light to the world, and blessing 

Honor and glory be unto him forevermore. to his people: [victory; 

O God of mercy, thy children raise their Great is the Lord, who hath given us the 
song to thee. With love and power he ruleth the world. 

Arise and praise ye the Father. 
Glory to the Father, to the Father everlasting; 
Glory to the Father, who hath made the earth and heaven: 
Loudly let the voices ring; 
Loudly praise our mighty Lord and King; 
Children come before his presence with a song, 
And praise ye the Lord. 

Text Exercise — (For appropriate texts see p. 5) 

Song Text — (For music see p. 244) 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 

So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him; 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 

So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Would you like to hear today something about Jesus when he 
was a little boy ? You remember how his father and mother brought him 
back from Egypt where they had gone to escape the king, to a little town in 
the hills far away from the great city where the new king lived, the king who 
did not know about Jesus. The country where Jesus lived was a very hot 
country and people did not have houses like those which we live in today. 
Can anyone remember the sort of houses Joseph and Mary passed by when 
they went into the little town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born ? (Draw 
from the children such information as you can about these houses and supple- 
ment so that they will have something of an idea of the home of Jesus. Sug- 
gest with a few brief sentences an interior.) Just back of the little town 
where Jesus lived there were hills and often when he was a boy just about 
as big as the boys and girls here, he would wander off to the edge of the little 



THE HERO OF THE MOUNTAIN 15 

village and climb far up the hill to see what he could see away on the other 
side. It seemed to him as if all the world was over there, and sometimes 
when the day was very clear, far down on the edge of the sky he could see 
blue water which his mother told him was the sea, the great sea, on which the 
ships came and went, sailing to the city of Rome, whose king was master 
of all the kings in Jesus' country. But Jesus was only a little boy and he 
did not care very much about the cities far away. The things that were near 
were the things that he wanted to know about. For instance, there was a 
great mountain which every time he looked toward the sea towered up between 
it and the sky. Did you ever see a mountain ? It is higher than the highest 
hill we can think of. Jesus loved to look at this mountain, for he knew 
something that had happened there. His mother had told him stories of a 
great man, a man who loved God and spent all his life working for God. 
There were many stories about him — about how, when people thought that 
there were many gods instead of just one, our God and Father, Elijah out on 
the mountain-top called upon God to send fire from heaven. They said too 
that Elijah was carried away on a chariot of fire to heaven, that he did not 
die at all. They even said that he sometimes appeared upon the earth and 
that when he came some great and wonderful thing was done by him. 

Jesus thought about these stories when he looked at this mountain stan ing 
up against the sky, and when sitting quietly by his mother in the evening hour, 
she would tell him story after story about the great Elijah. In that warm coun- 
try a room upon the house-top was the coolest, most delightful place to spend 
the night, and many times Jesus lay and looked at the shining stars in the deep 
blue sky as his mother talked to him about the heroes of his country. 

There was one story about Elijah that Jesus loved best of all, and that 
story I am going to tell you. It is a story of how Elijah rewarded a kind- 
hearted woman who took care of him when he needed help. (Tell now the 
story of Elijah and the widow, including the material found in I Kings, 17: 
8-24, throwing the emphasis upon the kind-heartedness of the widow and 
the gratitude of Elijah.) 



1 6 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Did Jesus as he lay and listened and thought about the great Elijah 
riding on a chariot of fire into the heavens think how great it would be if he 
too might some day see this great hero and receive a message from God through 
him? 

Song — (For music see p. 239) 

Can you count the stars, that brightly Do you know how many children 

Twinkle in the midnight sky ? Rise each morning, blithe and gay ? 

Can you count the clouds, so lightly Can you count the little voices, 
O'er the meadows floating by ? Singing sweetly, day by day ? 

God, the Lord, doth mark their number, God hears all the little voices, 

With his eyes that never slumber. In their pretty songs rejoices, 
He hath made them, ev'ry one. He doth love them, ev'ry one. 

Group Work — 

The oriental house may be pasted on the page to be given out with this 
lesson. It will serve as a reminder of both the house of the widow and her son 
and the house in which Jesus lived. Let the children study it, and note in what 
ways it differs from modern houses. Let them recall the introduction to the 
story and imagine what it looked like inside. Is there a place for the sheep 
and oxen in this house as in the house at Bethlehem where Jesus was born ? 
Let them write -on the page all the things that they can think of which 
were probably in that house. As they guess take the opportunity to correct 
their ideas and give them the right notion of the furnishings of an oriental 
house. If they would like to do so let each one construct during the week 
from paper or cardboard some articles of furniture such as would be appro- 
priate in an oriental house. 

Song — "There's naught I love so tenderly as you, my Mother dear." 

(For words and music see p. 216) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — u Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON III 

ZLbe Changing 1Rt\>er 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson, like that of the last, is to familiarize the child 
with the thought of Jesus listening to his mother's stories, and becoming 
fired by enthusiasm and courage through the stories of his people. Some- 
thing of this courage and enthusiasm will be appropriated by the child as he 
thus associates with the child Jesus. At the same time his appreciation of 
the companionship of his mother and her services of love should depeen 
and clarify. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Study the story of the battle between Barak and Sisera in Judges, chap. 
4 and in the poem of chap. 5 Read in the Bible Dictionary or in Wade, Old 
Testament History, something of the characteristics of the period of the Judges, 
a period in which the people were passing from the nomadic to the agricul- 
tural stage, in which conquest was the primary purpose and in which barbaric 
deeds for the sake of conquest were common and laudatory. Note that back 
of all is the thought of the writer that Jehovah was in the history of Israel at 
this time as well as at a later period, and that through battle and valorous 
achievements he was establishing in the hearts of the Hebrews confidence in 
his ability to vanquish their enemies, but more than that, conditioning his 
favor upon their loyalty to and trust in him. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school, (see 
P- 3)- 

Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and muskfsee p. 203) 

1 7 



1 8 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Informal Conversation — 

In the conversation try to center the thought of the children upon story- 
telling, their joy in it, the circumstances under which they love to hear stories, 
the stories which they like, etc. If you have opportunity bring out the superi- 
ority of mother's stories and emphasize the statements of someone among 
the children upon bedtime stories. Recall simply by name and a sentence 
or two the story which Jesus' mother told to him. See Lesson II. Suggest a 
query as to what kind of stories Jesus liked best and where his mother told him 
stories most. Was it sitting on the steps leading down into the little courtyard, 
when Jesus was tired with playing and with school, or was it perhaps on the 
cool house-top later in the evening, just before he went to sleep, when the stars 
were shining high above his head, and when the moon in the sky made him 
think of Elijah's chariot of fire ? How interesting it would be if we might 
have a picture of Jesus' mother telling stories to her boy. Do you sup- 
pose that Jesus sometimes wondered if he could count the stars ? Suppose 
we sing "Can you count the stars?" 

Song — (For music see p. 239) 

Can you count the stars, that brightly 

Twinkle in the midnight sky ? 
Can you count the clouds, so lightly 

O'er the meadows floating by ? 
God, the Lord, doth mark their number, 
With his eyes that never slumber. 

He hath made them, ev'ry one. 

Prayer — 

Leader: Do you think that Jesus, before he went to sleep, asked the 
Heavenly Father to take care of him and to bless his father and his mother ? 
Let us sing softly : 

Our Father, who art in heaven, (For music see p. 234) 

Hallowed be thy name. 

All repeat: Dear Father, I come with the morning light, 
To ask thy hand to guide me aright; 
Keep me from sinning, and show to me, 
How a little child may be helpful to thee. 



THE CHANGING RIVER 



19 



Song — (For music see p. 229) 

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, 

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes, 

head. I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from 

The stars in the sky looked down where he the sky, 

lay — And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. 

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. 

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay 

Close by me forever, and love me I pray. 

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care 

And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there. 

Text Exercise — (For appropriate texts see p. 5) 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Would you like to hear today another story which perhaps Jesus' mother 
told to him when he was a little boy? This story is about a river. How 
many of you could walk over a hill and then ten miles ? How far is one mile ? 
(Indicate from so and so to so and so in a locality which the children know.) 
Could you walk ten times that far ? It takes a strong boy to walk ten miles, 
but many boys can do it. About ten miles away from Jesus' home, straight 
out toward the mountain there was a river. Jesus may often have walked there 
for he was growing a big boy. Sometimes when he came toward the river 
it seemed so small that he could scarcely find it until he came close upon it. 
Sometimes, though, when there had been many rainy days together the river 
would go singing merrily toward the mountain broader and stronger. It was 
a famous place for sailing boats and for carrying sticks far out in its center, 
then down, down the stream until they were so tiny they could no longer be 
seen. Once in a great while when there had been a storm with thunder 
and lightning and pouring rain, the river would come tossing down, angry, 
yellow, carrying upturned roots of trees and all kinds of things which it had 
gathered, and as it came into the valley, it would spread out far over its banks 
and then not a boy dared go off of the high ground far away from the river 
with its little creeping arms running out all over the plain. To Jesus and his 



20 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

friends this river seemed alive. One never knew quite what it would be like. 
It seemed to have moods and sometimes to say, " Come and play by my side," 
at other times, " Stand far off or I will crush you and wash you away." There 
was another reason why the river seemed alive to Jesus. It was because of 
a story which his mother had told him often when he lay safely at home far 
beyond the reach of the river. It was a story of a great battle, a battle in 
which God the Father had taught the people who were fighting to gain their 
land, that if they would rely on him, and be true to him he would save them 
from their enemies; a story in which God showed his people that he did not 
need to fight with bows and arrows and with spears and war-chariots, for all 
the world was in his hands, and storms and rivers and mountains and valleys 
could all be used by him to gain the victory. This is the way it happened. 

Long before Jesus lived, more than a thousand years before, the people 
of his country were trying to conquer the land which they believed God had 
intended them to have for their home. Other people wanted the land, people 
who did not know the God of Jesus, our God — people who prayed and sang 
hymns to stone images, people who thought that all the good things that grew 
came because the spirit in these stone images made them grow. These people 
tried to drive out the Hebrew people, and oftentimes there were great battles 
between the Hebrews and their enemies. 

One time the Hebrews had been suffering great trouble on account of 
their enemies. Their good crops of corn had been stolen, their wives and 
mothers had been carried away, their vines had been destroyed, and they 
were full of despair and wondered how they could ever stay in that land. 
But there was a good woman, brave like the prophet Elijah, Deborah, who 
was so wise that all the people who wanted to know what God would like to 
have them do, went to Deborah and asked her, for they felt sure that 
Deborah knew all about their God. This time they went to her in their 
trouble and they said, " What shall we do ? We cannot hold back our 
enemies any longer," and Deborah said to the great Hebrew captain who 
had come to her, "Go now, this is what God says, go' call all the soldiers 



THE CHANGING RIVER 21 

who will come from far and wide. Sisera, the captain of the enemy's army 
shall come up against you near to the river. He will bring his war-chariots 
and many, many soldiers, but do not be afraid, for God will deliver him into 
your hands." Then Barak, the captain, said, "If thou wilt go with me then 
I will go, but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go," and Deborah 
answered, " I will surely go with thee." 

Then Barak went away and went up and down the country calling 
together soldiers from the mountain and from the valleys, until there were 
ten thousand men ready to fight for him, and for God's people. When 
Sisera, the captain of the enemy, heard that Barak had gathered his soldiers 
together he too called his men of war and there were nine hundred iron 
chariots for his soldiers to ride in and many thousands of foot-soldiers. 
When Deborah saw that Sisera was coming with his armies to the river she 
said, "Up, Barak! This is the day in which God will deliver Sisera into thy 
hands. God himself will go before thee." So Barak went down the hills 
into the great valley by the river with his ten thousand men, and Sisera with 
all his iron chariots and his thousands upon thousands of soldiers came, too, 
and the Hebrew people feared as they saw the multitudes of their enemies. 
But they believed that Deborah had given them a message from God, and 
that he would surely save them and defeat the enemy. As they neared the 
river the sky grew dark. Off on the mountain beyond the river, Elijah's 
mountain, the thunder seemed to speak from God a message of courage, 
the lightning flashed on the marching Hebrews and the soldiers of 
the enemy coming proudly and noisily toward them. Suddenly the storm 
broke. Torrents of rain swept down from the clouds. The soldiers 
could not see to fight. Both armies had to rest until the rain cleared away. 
But the river did not rest. The river came plunging and roaring down 
the hillside, swept out over the valley, washed over the chariot wheels of 
Sisera 's soldiers, filled the valley with mud, and when the sun finally 
broke out and Sisera's soldiers tried to attack the Hebrew people, not a 
chariot would move, the wheels were stuck fast. The disappointed 



22 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

soldiers jumped from their chariots and tried to make the attack, but they 
were not used to fighting on their feet, and the Hebrew soldiers were good 
foot-soldiers. And lo ! before the Hebrew people the multitudes of Sisera's 
army turned and fled back to their homes with the Hebrew soldiers pursu- 
ing fast after them. Then the Hebrews went rejoicing back to the hills, 
for God had shown them that all things were in his hands and that he could 
use the great river and the storm to win his battles if he wished. 

Do you think as Jesus stood on the hills it would almost seem to him as 
if he could see the two armies, and as he looked toward the mountain perhaps 
he too saw a storm coming, but I doubt if there was ever such an im- 
portant storm in Jesus' time as that one which swept away the army of Sisera, 
for in his day the river had no work like that to do. Its work was simply to 
water the valleys and to keep the pastures fresh and green and the hillsides 
ready for the planting of the vineyards and the fields of grain. 

Song — (For music see p. 240) 

Brooks down the mountain side So are our human lives: 

Rush with a song, Starting like rills ! 

Seeking the rivers wide Swiftly the current strives 

Where they belong; Down from the hills. 

Flowing increasingly, Wider each hour to be, 

Growing unceasingly, Fuller each power to be, 

Down to the mighty sea — Till God's eternity 

Splendid and strong! Life's course fulfils. 

This story is told more fully than the others because it is more difficult 
for the untrained teacher to select just the right elements of the story as it is 
found in the Bible. To older children who are able to understand the bar- 
barisms of the age the whole story may be given, but from the younger children 
it is best to withhold for the present the more barbaric elements. 

In telling stories which are so fully given as this, it is very important 
that the teacher should pay as great attention to the preparation as though 
she had to make her own story, and that she should not memorize the story, 
but learn to tell it effectively, using the story as given here only as a basis 
and guide. 



THE CHANGING RIVER 23 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children talk over the two 
situations, the river destroying the army, and the river upon which Jesus 
looked. Make your questions and comments bring out a review of the story 
and of Jesus listening to it, or thinking about it. Let the children decide 
whether they would rather have a reminder of Jesus or of the older story > 
and let each child color and revise his page to represent his choice. In the 
one case the river will be placid and confined, in the other turbulent and 
overflowing. 

Song — " Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON IV 

5esus placing, XearnirtQ, Ibelping 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to get the children really acquainted with Jesus 
as a boy, seeing in him their own life reflected and conversely accepting for 
themselves the spirit of cheerfulness, industry, and helpfulness which must 
have characterized Jesus. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read all that you can about the home life and the upbringing of the 
Jewish children. Much information on this ground will be found in Eder- 
sheim, In the Days of Jesus, -Forbush, Boys' Life of Christ (the early chap- 
ters), and in Burton and Mathews, Life of Christ, chap. 2. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let the children spend a few moments in dis- 
cussing what games they like and why they like them. Talk with them about 
the joys of playing, the good times which they have had and may have, and 
some of the principles of fairness and consideration for others which should 
govern play. Recall the picture of Jesus which is already in the minds of 
the children — Jesus listening to his mother's stories and enjoying his mother 's 
companionship. Raise the question as to what other things Jesus enjoyed. 
Tell the children something of the games of the Palestinean children. There 
are suggestions that games of imitation were very common, such as the playing 

24 



JESUS PLAYING, LEARNING, HELPING 



2 5 



at a funeral with its tumultuous procession, and at a wedding with 
its characteristic procession. Pitching quoits was also a common diver- 
sion. Information concerning all this will be found in the books of reference 
suggested. 

Close the conversation with the question as to what else other than play 
Jesus occupied himself with as a boy. Leave the children to think about it 
until the lesson period. 

Song — 

From the bright blue heavens, with the With 

angels mild, 
God, our loving Father, looks on every child: 
Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; 
Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. 



(For music see p. 228) 

a father's kindness gives him daily 

bread, 
Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 
Tell all little children of this Father true; 
Who will ne'er forsake them if his will thev 

do. 



Prayer — 

Leader and children repeat: 

Father, lead me day by day, 
Ever in thine own good way; 
Teach me to be pure and true; 
Show me what I ought to do. 



Song 



Can a little child like me, 
Thank the Father fittingly ? 
Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, 
Patient, kind in all you do; 
Love the Lord, and do your part; 
Learn to say with all your heart : 
Chorus: 



When I'm tempted to do wrong, 
Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 
And when all alone I stand, 
Shield me with thy mighty hand. 

(For music see p. 217) 

For the fruit upon the tree, 
For the birds that sing of thee, 
For the earth in beauty drest, 
Father, mother, and the rest; 
For thy precious, loving care 
For thy bounty ev'ry where, 



Father, we thank thee ! 

Father, we thank thee ! 

Father in heaven, we thank thee! 
For the sunshine warm and bright, For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child may do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son. 

(Chorus) (Chorus) 



2 6 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 5. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: The work for this lesson will be done by the group teachers 
rather than the main teacher, each teacher planning for her own group the 
thing which seems to her most attractive for her children, the object being to 
let the children see working out in the life of Jesus the same general funda- 
mental principles of helpfulness and earnestness which may characterize their 
own lives. 

Tell the children about the occupation of Jesus' father and talk with 
them about a carpenter shop and all the things which are made and done there. 
Let them imagine Jesus helping his father. Let them dictate to you a list of 
things which he might have helped to make. Let the children decide with 
you whether each is appropriate to a Palestinean house. Tell them about 
the school at which practically only memorizing of Scripture was done. Let 
the children move back their chairs and sit around on the floor as the little 
Hebrew children did, the teacher in the midst teaching them a verse, perhaps 
Deut. 6:5, just as the teacher would have done in the time of Jesus. (Do 
not do this in classes where it is likely to create disorder. Only the little 
children will take this seriously.) Compare with the children's own happy 
free interesting school life the deadly monotony of the school life of Jesus. 

Call the attention of the children to the most important factor in the 
cleanliness and comfort of the home — water, and describe the way in which 
the people in a village like that in which Jesus lived had to get water, all from 
one central well in the town. Who would carry the water and how would 
they carry it ? How would they get it out of the well, etc ? Would this be 
one way in which Jesus might be helpful to his mother ? Bear in mind that 
Jesus had younger brothers and sisters. In what other ways may he have 
helped ? Give the children their page and let them paste upon it the pic- 
ture of Jesus carrying the water-jar. Help them to study and discuss the 



JESUS PLAYING, LEARXIXG, HELPING 27 

picture. Note the clothing, the shape of the jars, characteristics of the street, 
etc. If time remains they may put under the picture the text, " Bear ye one 
another's burdens," or they may imagine an ordinary day in the life of the 
boy Jesus and describe it. 

Song — " Thou that Once Ofl mother's knee." (For words and music see p. 204) 

Psalm 100. All: 

Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands, 

Serve Jehovah with gladness: 

Come before his presence with singing. 

Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: 

It is he that hath made us, and we are his; 

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, 

And into his courts with praise; 

Give thanks unto him, and bless his name, 

For Jehovah is good: his loving-kindness endure th forever, 

And his faithfulness unto all generations. 

Song "Praise ye the Father" (For words and music see p. 209) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



SERIES II 
A JOURNEY WITH MOTHER AND FATHER 

ORIENTATION : THE JOURNEY OF JESUS TO JERUSALEM WITH STORIES FROM 
HISTORIC SPOTS OF INTEREST TO JESUS AS A BOY 

In this series of lessons leading through the Thanksgiving and Christmas 
seasons, the friendly relation of parents and children is further emphasized, 
and the idea of God as a Father, the giver of good gifts, to whom we gladly 
render service, leads naturally to the Thanksgiving and Christmas spirit. 
It may be necessary to readjust some of the lessons, but any necessary change 
of order will not destroy the group, since each lesson stands by itself as a unit. 
A further effort is made in this series to intermingle the experiences of Jesus 
and those of the child. The story of historic events is a means to an end, 
namely, a social experience which will lead the child to feel through his own ex- 
periences, which he compares with those of Jesus, the common life of boy and 
boy, Jesus and himself. This social experience should lead, as the lessons 
proceed, to an earnest desire to grow great and strong with Jesus. This group 
of lessons will carry but a little way along the path suggested, but at least it 
may help the child to face in the right direction. 

Because every child has a consuming interest in a journey with mother 
and father and because the path of the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem lay 
through scenes which would recall many stories told him by his parents, this 
journey is chosen as a sort of thread upon which to hang the separate stories. 1 
The sense of locality in children, however, is slight, and the geographical 
element must not be too greatly emphasized. It is simply a slight device 
designed to add to the social interest in Jesus alluded to above. 

1 We do not know whether Jesus went from Nazareth to Jerusalem by the East or the 
West Jordan route. The West route is merely assumed here, hence another reason for not 
emphasizing the geographical element. 

28 



A LOVING FATHER— A GRATEFUL SOX 29 

LESSON V 

H Xovuna ffatber— a Grateful Son 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

To suggest the ordinary tokens of affection between a father and a son in 
whom he is pleased, and to present the son in turn displaying similar affection 
toward his old father. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read with care the entire story of Joseph contained in Gen., chaps. 37, 
39-50. You will perhaps think that this is too great a task for the preparation 
of one lesson, but you can never tell a part of the story of Joseph with full 
force and with all its coloring unless you know the story well from beginning 
to end. Notice all the touches of Egyptian color and use them correctly. It 
is worth while to read the article on Joseph in the Bible dictionary, and to 
find whatever you can in regard to conditions in Egypt during the residence of 
Joseph, not because you can give any appreciable amount of this to the children 
but because it gives you in your own mind a background from which to 
draw your material. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let the children talk about journeys. Give 
them an opportunity to tell something of journeys on which they have been. 
Let them describe the process. Was it a journey on the steamcars, on the 
streetcars, carriage, stagecoach, or on foot, or in an automobile ? Let them 
discuss the preparations for such a journey, the lunch, the hand-bag, and 
such other experiences in connection with it as they have had. Let them then 
talk about things that they saw on the way. There is so much to introduce 
in this conversation that great care must be taken not to make it too long, and 



3° 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



to touch lightly upon each of these things. Suggest that perhaps Jesus with 
whom we have been having such a good time Sunday after Sunday may have 
gone on journeys too. Perhaps we can find a story about that later. 

Song — (Suggest this as a good song for a journey.) (For music see p. 204) 

Father, lead me day by day, When I'm tempted to do wrong, 

Ever in thine own good way; Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 

Teach me to be pure and true; And when all alone I stand, 

Show me what I ought to do. Shield me with thy mighty hand. 

When in danger make me brave; 
Make me know that thou canst save, 
Keep me safe by thy dear side; 
Let me in thy love abide. 

Prayer — 

Teacher: Dear Father, each day as we children take our little journeys 
from home to school and from school to home, and about the streets, help 
us as we go to see thy beautiful work all about us, and to do our best to make 
our work perfect like thine. 



Song — (Introduce this song by a word about the harvests and the approaching 

feast day.) (For music see p. 220) 



Come, ye thankful people, come, 
Raise the song of Harvest-home; 
All is safely gathered in, 
Ere the winter storms begin. 
God, our Maker, doth provide 
For our wants to be supplied; 
Come to God's own temple, come, 
Raise the song of Harvest-home. 



All the world is God's own field, 
Fruit unto his praise to yield; 
Wheat and tares together sown, 
Unto joy or sorrow grown: 
First the blade, and then the ear, 
Then the full corn shall appear: 
Lord of harvest, grant that we 
Wholesome grain and pure may be. 



Text Exercise — 

The texts from the preceding series are equally useful in this series. The 
following may be added slowly, or, if you prefer, all at once by assigning them 
to different children for memorizing. These texts will suffice for this series 
and the next as well: 



A LOVING FATHER— A GRATEFUL SON 31 

Rom. 6:23: The free gift of God is eternal life. 

John 3: 16: God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoso- 
ever believeth on him, should not perish, but have eternal life. 

Matt. io:Sb: Freely ye received, freely give. 

John 8:32: Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

Matt. 10:42: And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup 
of cold water only, .... he shall in no wise lose his reward. 

John 4: 14: Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. 

Acts 3:6: Silver and gold have I none, but what I have that I give thee. 

Acts 20:35: It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

II Cor. 9 : jb: God loveth a cheerful giver. 

Eccl. 12 : 1a: Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth. 

Ps. 107: 1: O, give thanks unto Jehovah, for he is good. 

Luke 2:52: And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and 
man. 

Ps. ^: 12a: Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 251) 

Let the people praise thee, O God, 
Let all the people praise thee; 
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
Sing for joy. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

In Jesus' country people who were not rich did not often ride when going 
on a journey. They rode on donkeys if they rode at all, but perhaps in a whole 
family there was just one donkey. Now if Jesus and his mother and father 
were going on a journey, who do you think would be the one to ride on that 
donkey ? Would it be the strong boy or the man or the mother ? Jesus did 
go on a journey when he was twelve years old, and it was a great journey, not 
far, less than 80 miles, but it took four days to walk from Jesus' home to the 
great city of Jerusalem. When Jesus was a little boy all the Hebrew boys 
were taken to Jerusalem when they were twelve or thirteen years of age. 
They were taken there because, according to their religion, a boy of twelve 
years old was ready to decide for himself what was right and wrong, for he 
had learned the law so carefully in school that he knew it and could obey it. 
When he was about twelve years old, Jesus went to Jerusalem where, in the 



32 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

great temple which we shall learn more about by and by, he was received by 
the priests and counted a member of the Hebrew church. You can easily see 
that this was a great journey for Jesus. We feel sure that he must have felt 
almost like a man as he walked along by his father's side, perhaps taking 
turns with his father leading the donkey on which his mother rode, and 
thinking that when he came back over that way he would be a man of the 
Law, just like his father and just like all the men he knew at home. 
This was a long journey for a boy walking all the way for three long days up 
hill and down hill, across the valleys, fording the little streams, stopping for 
rest under some spreading tree and waiting while the sun went low in the 
west, eating the lunch and then up again and walking on far into the evening 
when it was cool and pleasant. There was plenty of time to talk and plenty 
of time for stories about the places on the way. I wonder if you would like 
to hear some of the stories that Jesus may have heard on the way to Jerusalem. 
There was one place which Jesus and his parents came upon, about a 
day's journey from his home. It is right among the hills and not very far 
across a little river. We are not sure but Jesus may have spent the night 
there. At all events it would make him think of a beautiful story about an- 
other boy which his mother had told him. Perhaps she told him the story 
again as they rested after their long day of walking. The boy's name was 
Joseph and that was one reason why Jesus liked this story, because his father's 
name was Joseph. 

Tell here the story about Joseph and his father's gift of a coat, 
emphasizing the father's affection and the pleasure of Joseph in receiv- 
ing this token of love. Raise the question, Is it only fathers who give 
things to their sons ? Do sons sometimes give things to fathers, and love 
their fathers just as fathers love their sons ? Jesus would have said, " Yes, 
surely," for he knew some more of the story of Joseph. He knew how Joseph 
went with his coat of many colors to take a message to his brothers, and 
how his brothers were angry because they thought their father loved Joseph 
better than he loved them, and how they put him in a pit and were going to 



A LOVING FATHER— A GRATEFUL SON 33 

leave him to die when they changed their minds and decided to sell him for a 
slave to some merchants who were passing by on their way to Egypt. He 
knew how, many years afterward, when there was a great famine in Jacob's 
land and all the brothers were sent down to Egypt to buy corn to make bread 
with, Joseph was there, a grown man, a great prince in Egypt. Would you 
like to have me read to you just a little bit of the story of how Joseph made 
himself known to his brothers, and sent them home for their father ? 

Read here simplifying and abbreviating where necessary Gen. 45:1-15, 
adding very briefly the suggestion of the king's generosity and of the coming of 
Jacob and his instalment in the land. Raise the question, Whose gift was the 
greater, Jacob's gift of a coat to his little boy or Joseph's gift of riches and a 
home to his father Jacob ? Did Joseph love his father more than his father 
loved him as a little boy ? Does it make any difference how large a gift is if 
it just means love ? 

Jesus did not need to read this story as we do. He knew it every word. 
Did he wonder sometimes if Joseph was afraid when his brothers put 
him in the pit and did he think "When I grow to be a man I am going to be 
like Joseph and take care of Father and Mother ?" 

Song — (For music see p. 218) 

But the Lord is mindful of his own 

He remembers his children. 
But the Lord is mindful of his own 

The Lord remembers his children, 
Remf mbers his children. 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Yea, the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children talk about the love 
gifts of their own parents, and speculate as to what they will do in return when 
they are grown up. 



34 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Turn their thoughts to the love gifts of God. Perhaps they may suggest 
also what they will do for God when they are men and women. 

Give out the pages and let them color according to their own fancy the 
oriental coat which will remind them of the story of Joseph and his father. 

Song — "Front the bright blue heavens." (For words and music see p. 228) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON VI 

H Great Hnniversarp 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lead by two lines of thought to the coming 
Thanksgiving season, first, by dwelling upon celebrations of anniversaries in 
general, and second, by suggesting a spirit of thankfulness for great good 
received and enjoyed — this time the abundance received from God to whom 
thanks are due. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

If you have already used a previous volume of Child Religion in 
Song and Story, you will perhaps be surprised that the Exodus from 
Egypt is again chosen as the basis for a story in connection with the 
Thanksgiving feast. You will recall, however, that in this first book 
the lesson is given upon Thanksgiving Day simply as an historic occa- 
sion when special thanksgiving was appropriate. In this series, the 
emphasis is only secondarily upon the occasion and primarily upon the 
recurring anniversary of this deliverance, to the celebration of which Jesus 
was gcing with his parents to Jerusalem. In preparing for the general 
work of the day keep this anniversary thought in mind. As preparation for 
the story, study the conditions in Egypt as found in the first chapter of Exodus 
and the results related in the following chapters, 2 to 15. In order to make 
a story which is well proportioned it will be necessary to give this material a 
great deal of study. The tendency is to emphasize too much the plagues, 
because of the thrilling character of the material and the large amount of space 
given to them in the narrative. It is better to omit them almost entirely or to 
dismiss them with a few words in order that the impression in the child's mind 
may be of the persecution and the wonderful escape. 

35 



36 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The bells are sweetly ringing." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation— 

Leader and Children: Draw from the children suggestions of events 
which we celebrate, and why we celebrate them. Do not ignore the birth- 
days, for to many children these are the most important celebrations of the 
year. See that they recall the birthdays of Washington, Lincoln, and Jesus, 
the Fourth of July and any local anniversaries with which they may be especially 
familiar. Suggest the annual Thanksgiving and set the children to hunting 
up some reason besides the mere fact of the autumn season for our celebrating 
such a day. Leave them to think about it for two Sundays previous to Thanks- 
giving. 

Song — ■ (For music see p. 220) 

Come, children, lift your voices, 

And sing with us today, 
As to the Lord of Harvest 

Our grateful vows we pay. 
We thank thee, Lord, for sending 

The gentle show'rs of rain; 
For summer suns which ripen'd 
The fields of golden grain. 
Chorus: 

Come, children, lift your voices, 

And sing with us today, 
As to the Lord of Harvest 
Our grateful vows we pay. 
Come join our glad procession, May we by holy living 

As onward still we move, Thy praises echo forth, 

Rejoicing in the tokens And tell thy boundless mercies 

Of God our Father's love. To all the list'ning earth; 

All good in his creation, May we grow up as branches, 

All beautiful and fair, In him, the one true vine, 

Birds, insects, beasts, and fishes Bear fruit to life eternal, 

Our harvest gladness share. And be forever thine. 

{Chorus) . (Chorus) 



A GREAT ANNIVERSARY 37 

Prayer — 

Leader: Our Father, we thank thee for all the birthdays, for all the good 
times which we have, for all the good things in this beautiful world. Accept 
our thanks, dear Father, and let us prove our gratitude by doing each day 
such things as please thee. In Jesus' name we ask it. Amen. 

Psalm 100. All: 

Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands, 

Serve Jehovah with gladness: 

Come before his presence with singing. 

Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: 

It is he that hath made us, and we are his; 

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, 

And into his courts with praise; 

Give thanks unto him, and bless his name, 

For Jehovah is good: his loving-kindness endure th forever, 

And his faithfulness unto all generations. 

Song — (For music see p. 222) 

We plough the fields and scatter 
The good seed o'er the land; 
But it is fed and watered 

By God's almighty hand. . 
He sends the snow in winter, 

The warmth to swell the grain, 
The breezes and the sunshine, 
And sweet refreshing rain. 
Chorus: 

All good gifts around us 

Are sent from heav'n above; 
Then thank the Lord, 

O thank the Lord for all his love. 
He only is the maker We thank thee, then, O Father, 

Of all things near and far; For all things bright and good, 

He paints the wayside flower The seed-time and the harvest, 

He lights the ev'ning-star; Our life, our health, our food; 

The winds and waves obey him, Accept the gifts we offer, 

By him the birds are fed; For all thy love imparts, 

Much more to us, his children, And, what thou most desirest, 

He gives our daily bread. Our humble, thankful hearts. 

(Chorus) (Chorus) 



38 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Text Exercise — (For texts appropriate to this service see p. 30) 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: I wonder if in Jesus' time there were any anniversary feasts. 
Perhaps his birthday, although the world never celebrated his birthday until 
hundreds of years after he was dead. We have been talking about a 
journey which Jesus took from his home to the city of Jerusalem, and we 
remember that he was going to Jerusalem to be welcomed by the priests and 
learned men in the church at Jerusalem as a son of the Law. But there was 
another reason why Jesus was going to Jerusalem at just this time. It was 
the beautiful springtime. Always people have been glad and happy at the 
return of the spring. But there was a greater reason than this for the Hebrew 
people to be happy at this time, for something very wonderful had been given 
to them in the springtime, almost two thousand years before Jesus was born. 
Every year as the spring came around, people from all over the country went 
traveling down to Jerusalem from the north and up from the south, and from 
the east and west, to have a great festival and to celebrate the wonderful thing 
that happened to them so many years before. 

So Jesus had something besides himself to think about as he traveled on, 
walking mile after mile toward the great city. He could think about the 
great crowds of people who would be there, and the rejoicing, and all the 
many things which would happen in the great temple or church at Jerusa- 
lem. But sometimes he would surely think of the stories which his mother 
and father had told him of the great gift of God to the Hebrew people two 
thousand years before. Do you want to hear about that story ? 

Do you know what it is to a slave ? We have heard of slaves. 
(Explain here very simply what it means to bt a slave, and how the greatest 
gift possible to a slave would be his freedom.) Tell now the story of the Exo- 
dus from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea. Perhaps the following out- 
line may help you in organizing your story: The land of Egypt; the Pharaoh 



A GREAT AXXIVERSARY 39 

with his fears; the Hebrew people in slavery, thinking that God had forgotten 
them, and that he had no power in the land of Egypt; Moses," the Hebrew 
shepherd in the land of Midian, with God's voice in his heart calling him to 
save his people; Moses' return, and repeated appeals to Pharaoh, followed 
by Pharaoh's continued refusal and increased oppression; God's answer to 
Pharaoh, in the plagues; the last great "sign," and the terror in Egypt; the 
hurried supper and flight; the pursuit of Pharaoh; the terror of the people; 
the great deliverance. 

As Jesus thought about this wonderful story and about the wonderful 
God who had so saved his people would he not be all the more anxious to reach 
Jerusalem where he might with all the thousands of people there join his 
voice to theirs in songs of thanksgiving. Let us sing some of the very words 
which may have come into Jesus' mind as he thought of how good God had 
been to his people. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 251) 

Let the people praise thee, O God, 
Let all the people praise thee; 
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
Sing for joy. 

Group Work — 

Group Teacher and Children: Discuss with the children our coming 
anniversary and what it celebrates historically. 

Give out the page with a portion of Psalm 95 upon it. Let the children 
read the verses. Talk about them so that they will get the sense of it as fully 
as possible. Let them now study the border and discover under your guidance 
that the products represented are the provisions for the future, the wheat is 
the staple food for human beings, the corn the chief food for the larger animals, 
for poultry, and the nuts for the wild squirrels and woods-folk, and the vege- 
table the one which forms our chief winter supply. 

Let these facts add breadth to the approaching Thanksgiving anniversary 
which is not only for past blessings, and present necessities, but for future good 
already provided for. 



40 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Have the children read with you the Psalm from their notebooks as 

their expression of thanksgiving. 

All: Oh come let us sing unto Jehovah; 

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation 

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 

Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

For Jehovah is a great God, 

And a great king above all gods. 

In his hand are the deep places of the earth; 

The heights of the mountains are his also. 

The sea is his and he made it. 

And his hands formed the dry land. 

Oh come let us worship and bow down; 

Let us kneel before Jehovah our maker: 

For he is our God, 

And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. 

Song — "But the Lord is mindful of his own" (For words and music see p. 218) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON VII 

Westing bp tbe TRDiell 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to carry the thought of the children to the pride 
and joy which Jesus as a boy felt in his home land. Too young to feel deeply 
the political distress of his country he could look with unalloyed joy upon the 
beautiful fields, towering hills, and vine-clad terraces. Although children 
find it difficult to express such large ideas as patriotism, one looking back on 
his own experience will easily recall that there were often deep emotions 
stirred by thoughts of our country, our flag, our native land, etc. We should 
not make the mistake of thinking that because children do not express all that 
is within them, they do not therefore have emotions and appreciation beyond 
their ability to express. From this train of thought the children will also 
pass to the thought of sharing the good of the land, a thought to be further 
developed in the next lesson. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Study the story of Abram as contained in Gen. 12 : 1-9 and in Gen., chap. 
13. Look up in the Bible Dictionary the article on "Wells." 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Raise the question of thirst. Let the children talk 
about the discomfort of thirst, the necessity of water to maintain life in animals, 
plants, and people alike, the way in which we get water to drink, leading back 

41 



42 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



to the old method of securing water from a family well. Call attention to the 
fact that in most countries the necessity is abundantly met, in the water for 
which we have only to dig in the earth or to take from the streams. Suggest 
that if we were taking a long, long walk, the thing we would like most to 
find would be a place where we could get a good drink of water. This is one 
of the provisions of the Heavenly Father. May we thank our Father for this 
by doing what we can for him. 

Song — (For music see p. 217) 

(When singing the chorus for the last time, let the children bow 
their heads and sing very softly) 

Can a little child like me, For the fruit upon the tree, 

Thank the Father fittingly ? For the birds that sing to thee 

Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, For the earth in beauty drest, 

Patient, kind in all you do; Father, mother, and the rest; 

Love the Lord, and do your part; For thy precious, loving care, 

Learn to say with all your heart: For thy bounty ev'ry where, 

Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 

For the sunshine warm and bright, For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true, 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child can do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son, 
{Chorus) (Chorus) 

Psalm 95 : 1-6. All : 

Oh come let us sing unto Jehovah; 

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation 

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 

Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

For Jehovah is a great God, 

And a great king above all gods. 

In his hand are the deep places of the earth ; 

The heights of the mountains are his also. 



RESTING BY THE WELL 



43 



The sea is his and he made it. 

And his hands formed the dry land. 

Oh come let us worship and bow down; 

Let us kneel before Jehovah our maker: 

For he is our God, 

And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. 



Song 



(For music see p. 220) 



Come, children, lift your voices, 

And sing with us today, 
As to the Lord of Harvest 

Our grateful vows we pay. 
We thank thee, Lord, for sending 

The gentle show'rs of rain; 
For summer suns which ripen' d 

The fields of golden grain; 



Chorus: 



Come, children, lift your voices, 
And sing with us today 

As to the Lord of Harvest 
Our grateful vows we pay. 



Come join our glad procession, 

As onward still we move, 
Rejoicing in the tokens 

Of God our Father's love. 
All good in his creation, 

All beautiful and fair, 
Birds, insects, beasts, and fishes 

Our harvest gladness share. 
(Chorus) 



May we by holy living 

Thy praises echo forth, 
And tell thy boundless mercies 

To all the list'ning earth; 
May we grow up as branches, 

In him, the one true vine, 
Bear fruit to life eternal, 

And be forever thine. 
(Chorus) 



(For appropriate texts see p. 30) 
(For words and music see p. 205) 



Text Exercise — 

March Song and Offering — 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall the journey which we are making with the boy Jesus, 
walking the long distance from his home, over the mountains, through the 
valleys, and across the rivers to the great city where the festival is to be. Picture 
the dusty road, the sun beating down upon the heads of the travelers, resting 



44 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

sometimes where a great tree offered its shade, quenching thirst by draughts 
from the skin of water which they carried with them, water warm and flat- 
tasting, and giving little relief to the thirsty travelers. Then suggest the 
arrival at the well of Jacob, a little off from the beaten road, known to 
Joseph and Mary as a place where clear, cold, bubbling water could be had 
in plenty, where they could drink and rest and fill their water-skin and go on 
their journey refreshed and strengthened. Describe an oriental well, about 
one hundred feet deep, broad at the mouth, lined with rough stones. Suggest 
the women coming with their water-jars and talking with the travelers, asking 
questions about the things which were to happen in Jerusalem, while they sat 
down to rest and wait for the day to grow cooler. Then as Jesus sits by the 
well and looks out over the country, suggest the feeling of pride and joy which 
came into his heart as he thought that it was his country, and as he remembered 
how it came to be his country, for his mother had told him the story many times. 
Tell now the story of Abraham coming to Canaan, as described in Gen. 
12 : 1-9. Suggest that in the land of Jesus there were not many places where 
water was plenty, and where great flocks of sheep and oxen could have enough 
to drink, so when Abraham came to the land, first of all he must make a well 
so that there would be plenty of water for himself and his family, and for all 
the animals. If he moved on to another part of the country then he must 
make another well. Only on the plains down near the seashore were there 
streams which kept the land moist, and which provided water without the 
wells. Follow now with the story of Abraham dividing the land with Lot, in 
chap. 13, and then with the promise of Jehovah that the whole land should 
belong to Abraham and to his children and to his grandchildren and to his 
great-grandchildren forever and ever. 

As Jesus sat by the well and heard the bubbling of the water and the 
trickling down the sides of the well as the women filled their jars, perhaps it 
seemed to say to him, " This is your land and these are your people. I have 
given this land to you forever and ever," and in his heart he replied, " And 
I will share it with all the world." 



RESTING BY THE WELL 45 

OOng ■ (For music see p. 222) 

We plough the fields and scatter 
The good seed o'er the land; 
But it is fed and watered 

By God's almighty hand. 
He sends the snow in winter, 

The warmth to swell the grain, 
The breezes and the sunshine, 
And sweet refreshing rain. 
Chorus: 

All good gifts around us 

Are sent from heav'n above; 
Then thank the Lord, 

O thank the Lord for all his love. 
He only is the maker We thank thee, then, O Father, 

Of all things near and far: For all things bright and good, 

He paints the wayside flower The seed-time and the harvest, 

He lights the ev'ning-star; Our life, our health, our food; 

The winds and waves obey him, Accept the gifts we offer, 

By him the birds are fed; For all thy love imparts, 

Much more to us, his children, And what thou most desirest, 

He gives our daily bread. Our humble, thankful hearts. 

(Chorus) (Chorus) 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Suggest that we as well as Jesus have a 
country of our own. Are all the people who live in it Americans ? Let the 
children name foreign children if they know any and suggest how they came 
to be in our country. Was it to make a home that these foreigners came ? If 
so are we ready to share our land with them ? Shall we share generously as 
Abraham did ? Call attention* to the fact that the text which we are to illumin- 
ate may serve for our Thanksgiving Day text. Why do we have an anni- 
versary feast at Thanksgiving Day ? Do not answer. Leave the children to 
find out. Let them illuminate the text. 

Song — "Come ye thankful people, COnie." (For words and music see p. 220) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — u But the Lord is mindful of his own" (For words and music see p. 218) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON VIII 

©ur Bnni\>ersar£ t Ubanfesgunna Bas 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lead the children to feel a great joy and pride 
in their own country, and in the fact that this is in a peculiar sense God's 
country, having come into possession of the people through the providence 
of God, when they were seeking a place where they might safely and freely 
worship him. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Only a suggestive outline is given for your story and you must read as 
you can of the fortunes of the Pilgrim Fathers and make a story which will 
interest the children. It will not be a difficult story for your imagination 
will fill in much, your knowledge of geography, ocean experiences, and what 
you can gather of early life in the Colonies will give you material for a fasci- 
nating story. Consult histories of America and American history story-books 
for stories of the Colonies. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: It is to be hoped that you have looked forward to 
this day and made provision for some special expression of thanksgiving by 
the children, in the form of contributions of food or money or pleasure to those 
less fortunate than themselves. If this is the case then your conversation is 
provided for by reference to these things. If however you live in a community 

46 



OUR A NNI VERSA R Y—THA NKSGI VING DAY 47 

where such work is not necessary, your conversation may still turn upon the 
day and the children can help you to build a series of reasons why we have the 
day and how we may best celebrate it. 

Song — Praise ye the Father. (For words and music see p. 209) 

Prayer — 

Leader: "Shall we thank our Father ? 

All: "Our Father in heaven, we praise thy name, we give thanks to thee, 
we glorify thee for thy great goodness, to us and to all men." Amen. 

Song — (For music see p. 220) 

Come, ye thankful people, come, All the world is God's own field, 

Raise the song of Harvest-home; Fruit unto his praise to yield; 

All is safely gathered in, Wheat and tares together sown, 

Ere the winter storms begin; Unto joy or sorrow grown: 

God, our maker, doth provide First the blade, and then the ear, 

For our wants to be supplied; Then the full corn shall appear: 

Come to God's own temple, come, Lord of harvest, grant that we 

Raise the song of Harvest-home. Wholesome grain and pure may be. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 30. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 251) 

Let the people praise thee, O God, 
Let all the people praise thee; 
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
Sing for joy. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: The following outline (vary it in any way otherwise, but end 
with the thanksgiving) will form a basis upon which to build your story: 
The mandate of Queen Elizabeth (the Act of Uniformity) the persecutors of 
the Nonconformists; their escape to Holland after many mishaps; uncom- 
fortable, poor, and among foreigners, they long for a land of their own; 
decision to come to America where one or two expeditions have preceded 
them; conditions in America, dangers, difficulties, etc.; crossing the sea 



4 8 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



in the "Mayflower," the companion ship being sent back as unseaworthy; 
hardships of the voyage ; Sunday on shipboard at anchor after the reconnoi- 
tering of Miles Standish on the mainland; joy in liberty to worship God and 
possession of a free country; the first Thanksgiving in 1621; 



Amidst the storm they sang, 

And the stars heard and the sea, 

And the sounding isles of the dim woods rang 
To the anthems of the free. 



Song 



(For music see p. 222) 



We plough the fields and scatter 

The good seed o'er the land; 
But it is fed and watered 

By God's almighty hand. 
He sends the snow in winter, 

The warmth to swell the grain, 
The breezes and the sunshine, 

And sweet refreshing rain. 
Chorus: 

All good gifts around us 

Are sent from heav'n above; 
Then thank the Lord, 

O thank the Lord for all his love. 



He only is the maker 

Of all things near and far: 
He paints the wayside flower 

He lights the ev'ning-star; 
The winds and waves obey him 

By him the birds are fed; 
Much more to us, his children, 

He gives our daily bread. 
(Chorus) 



We thank thee, then, O Father, 

For all things bright and good, 
The seed-time and the harvest, 

Our life, our health, our food; 
Accept the gifts we offer, 

For all thy love imparts, 
And what thou most desirest, 

Our humble, thankful hearts. 
(Chorus) 



Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: The children will be pleased to find in 
their group work a picture of the ship which might have been the "Mayflower" 
and to color it, to name it, etc. In addition to the sheet for coloring will be 
found another containing the poem, "On a Stern and Rockbound Coast." 
Let the children read this with you and comment upon it as they go on. Let 



OUR ANNIVERSARY— THANKSGIVING DAY 49 

them count back from themselves to the generation to which the Pilgrim 
Fathers belonged and see how many grandfathers back it was. Let them 
imagine the conditions of the part of the country where they live in those days 
and lead them at the last to feel deeply grateful for their country and for the 
kind Providence which brought to its shores a band of people who started the 
young country in the right way, so that it might grow into a safe and happy 
Christian land, such as ours is. 

Song — "My country, 'tis of thee." (For words and music see p. 226) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Come, children, lift your Voices." (For words and music see p. 220) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



SERIES III 
A JOURNEY WITH FATHER AND MOTHER (Continued) 

In the preceding series of four lessons, the pupil has been carried up to 
the thought of the great gifts of God enjoyed by himself, and by his country- 
men. The lessons of this series will serve as a complement to the preceding 
series, directing the thought of the child to the sense of gratitude and joy which 
leads to gifts to God and to men, culminating in the Christmas lesson, a 
celebration of the birthday of Jesus. The whole effort of the teacher in this 
season should be to emphasize giving, rather than receiving, until when the 
Christmas season arrives the children will have so dwelt upon the thought of 
giving that their joy in Christmas will at least combine the joy of giving with 
the joy of receiving, and perhaps will go so far as to render the former the 
chief joy of the season. 

The orientation of this series is still the journey from Nazareth to Jerusa- 
lem. 

LESSON IX 

H /IDotfoer's (31ft 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to emphasize the love to God which led Hannah 
in deepest gratitude for the gift of her son to give him to God in service. A 
secondary element is the faithful service of the boy. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read the story of the boy Samuel and of the conditions at Shiloh in the 
days of Eli as recorded in I Sam., chaps. 1-4. Read also articles on "Taber- 
nacle," "Ark," "Shiloh," "Hannah," "Samuel," in the Bible Dictionary. 

5° 



A MOTHER'S GIFT 



5i 



Create in your own mind a vivid picture of Samuel's home and his daily life 
at Shiloh. 

It will be noted by those who have used the former volume of Child 
Religion that this story was used in that volume, and it would be well to read 
from it Lesson 2, and note that the emphasis there is upon a very different 
ethical theme. It should be remembered that the children love to hear a 
story which they have heard before, provided it is not told too frequently. 
No apology is therefore necessary for using stories already used in the pre- 
ceding year. It would, in fact, be far better if we could use more of them, 
but the teacher would feel the monotony, and perhaps not do her best work 
if too much old material were presented. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — "Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Refer again to the question of babies in the family 
and to the joy of the coming of the little one. Let the children discuss the 
question as to whether they like the babies in their own families better than 
any other babies. Raise the question as to whether mother likes her baby 
better than any other baby. Let the children try to decide whether mother 
would be willing to exchange her baby for some other baby that they know. 
If so, why ? If not, why ? What would you think if you lived in a country 
and among a people who gave their babies to God ? Would you think that 
they did not love their children or would you think that they loved God so 
much that they were willing to give even the baby to him ? Does God love 
the baby? If the mother should give her baby to God would God take 
care of it ? 



52 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song— 

There's naught I love so tenderly 

As you, my Mother dear, 
And thoughts of you they bring to me, 

The thoughts of God more near. 
I love him for the gift he gave, 

A gift I'd keep alway 
The dearest Mother in the world; 

She grows more dear each day. 

Prayer — 

All: Sing softly with bowed heads. 

Father, dear, I fain would thank thee 

For my long, refreshing sleep, 
And the watch that thou did'st keep, 

While I slumbered soft and deep, 
O'er thy child so lovingly, 

So lovingly. 



(For music see p. 216) 



(For music see p. 207) 
All that I today am doing, 

Help me, Lord, to do for thee, 
May I kind and helpful be, 

Only good in others see, 
Try to serve thee faithfully, 

Serve thee faithfully. 



Song — Introduce this song by a suggestion that we shall soon be celebrating 
the birthday of Jesus and will wish to sing some special birthday songs. 

(For words and music see p. 250) 



Holy night ! silent night ! 

All is calm, all is bright, 

Round yon Virgin mother and child; 

Holy infant tender and mild, 

Rest in heav'nly peace. 

Rest in heav'nly peace. 

Holy night ! silent night ! 

Wondrous Star, lend thy light ! 

With the angels let us sing 

Hallelujah to our King! 



Holy night ! silent night ! 
Guiding Star, lend thy light ! 
See the eastern wise men bring 
Gifts and homage to our King ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Holy night ! silent night ! 
Shepherds saw the wondrous light, 
Waked by angels' glorious strain: 
Peace on earth, good will to men. 
Christ is born indeed ! 
Christ is born indeed ! 



Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 

Text Exercise — The texts for this series will be found under Lesson V, p. 30. 
Any texts appropriate to the spirit of giving may be added. 

Song Text- 
Behold I bring you good tidings, 
Good tidings of great joy. 
For unto you is born this day 
A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 
Unto you is born in the city of David, 
A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 



(For music see p. 226) 



A MOTHER'S GIFT 53 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall Jesus taking his little journey to Jerusalem with his 
mother and father. Let the children tell you something about the journey, 
the place where Joseph used to live, the well where the little party stopped for 
cooling drink. Jesus is now coming nearer to Jerusalem, and each hour 
brings thoughts of the great city and of the house of God which he is to visit. 
As the little party, now hourly growing larger, because of the many others go- 
ing the same way, passes through a green valley, to the left of them on the high 
ground, about 20 miles before they come to the end of their journey is the 
site of the old house of God in Shiloh, the house where dwelt the little boy 
Samuel. Suggest how Jesus and his father and mother, walking along the 
dusty road, talked about that old tent-church at Shiloh, and recalled the 
story of Hannah and her son. 

Ask the children if they would like to hear the story that Jesus thought about 
as he passed by the place where the old church had been hundreds of years be- 
fore. This church was a tent and people did not worship in this tent as we wor- 
ship in our churches. They thought that God was in the tent, behind the cur- 
tains, in the bright light which they could see shining over that part of the room. 
The people thought too that God liked to have sheep and goats and doves 
killed and burned on a sort of table or altar. They thought that he would 
hear the prayers of people if they came to this place to offer them, while perhaps 
if they prayed to him in their own homes far away he would not hear so well. 
The people came, therefore, often to this tent to offer up their prayers and there 
were priests there who burned for them the goat or sheep or dove which they 
brought to give to God. There were little boys there too who used to help 
the priests take care of the tent, scrape the ashes off the altar, keep the lights 
burning, and open the doors in the morning when the sun rose. These 
little boys lived all the time at the tent-church with the many priests, for they 
too were learning to be priests. 

There was a good woman who came with her husband every year to Shi- 



54 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

loh to worship God and to ask for the things which she wanted. Her name 
was Hannah. One thing she desired more than anything else in all the world, 
and that was a little baby boy, so when she came to Shiloh she knelt down 
and prayed long and with weeping, that God would give to her a little boy of 
her own. As she prayed she thought, "How grateful I would be to God 
if only he would give me a little son. I would love God so much that I would 
give God my baby, if only I might have it for a little while." Sure enough, 
by and by a little baby boy was born to Hannah. There never was a 
mother happier than Hannah. She could not do enough for the little baby. 
You know how well she took care of him because you know how well mother 
takes care of the baby; how careful she was that nothing should hurt him, 
and how she sat with him on her lap and sang to him, and thought what a 
great man he would be some day. But she did not forget her promise to 
God, for her heart was full of love to God for the gift of her little son, and 
she felt that in return she must make a great gift to Him. So when Samuel 
was old enough to leave his mother she took him up to the tent-church and 
left him with the kind old priest who was the head priest of all, saying, 
"Here is my boy, the boy that God gave to me. I am going to give him to 
God because I love God. I know that he will take care of my boy and you 
will teach him to love and serve God here in the tent-church." Do you 
think that Hannah went away and forgot her baby then ? No, she came 
often to the tent-church and every year she brought him a new coat which 
she had woven and embroidered and made beautiful with her own hands, 
and every year she found her baby growing more fine and true-hearted and 
beautiful and full of courage, for Samuel thought, "My father and my 
mother have left me here to learn to serve God in his tent-church, and I 
must do it well." 

Would you like to hear a story about something that happened to Samuel 
one night ? Let me read it to you from a great story-book, from which Jesus 
had often read the story. (Read here, simplifying where necessary, I Sam. 
3:2-6, 8-10.) 



A MOTHER'S GIFT 55 

Do you think that as Jesus and his mother and father walked along the 
dusty way, Jesus' mother thought to herself, " How glad I am that God does 
not expect mothers now to give their boys away. How glad I am that I can 
have my boy with me, and that he can help the father in the shop, and help 
to take care of his brothers and sisters, and be my boy at home." 

Song — (For music see p. 204) 

Father, lead me day by day, When in danger, make me brave; 

Ever in thine own good way; Make me know that thou canst save; 

Teach me to be pure and true; Keep me safe by thy dear side; 

Show me what I ought to do. Let me in thy love abide. 

When I'm tempted to do wrong, 
Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 
And when all alone I stand, 
Shield me with thy mighty hand. 

Group Work — 

Review the story by letting the children impersonate the different char- 
acters and talk with each other in the dialogue of the story. Then let them 
discuss Hannah's gift — how much it cost her to make the sacrifice; how 
much she loved. God. Give out the page with its border and let the children 
write the thing which they would like to give to God. Let this be natural and 
simple. If time permits let them follow by writing down the names of the 
members of their families and against each the thing which they would like 
to give to that one. Cast aside all limitations of possibility and let them 
dream as large things as they wish. 

Song — "From the bright blue heavens." (For words and music see p. 228) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

$OJlg^— "Praise ye the Father" (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON X 

Ube fll>emor£ Stone 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to direct the children's thought again to the care 
and love of the Heavenly Father, and further to suggest the idea of an act 
done in memory of that care or in acknowledgment of it. Through this 
lesson a stimulus will be added to the thought of giving at the Christmas 
season, giving in memory of Jesus and of the great gifts of God. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read the story of Jacob and his journey to Padan-aram, Gen. 27:46 — 
28:22. This story must be taken by itself as one of the many stories about 
Jacob not immediately following the preceding story of this chapter in chrono- 
logical sequence, but one of the stories accounting for the marriage of Jacob, 
and leading up to the hard service of Jacob for Rachel. It is not necessary 
in this story to refer to the story of the birthright. It would be well to look 
up in the Bible Dictionary the words Bethel, Jacob, and pillar. It will be seen 
that the setting-up of a memorial stone in the place where men thought that 
God had spoken to them was a very common custom in ancient times, and 
that, unconsciously, we ourselves establish memorials as we go on through 
life, and associate with certain places or certain articles crises in our personal 
experience. This is a natural tendency and more natural even with children 
than with grown people, as is evidenced so often by the little phrase, " I give 
you this to remember me by." 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

56 



THE MEMORY STONE 57 

Song — "When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let this conversation turn upon darkness and 
light, fear in the dark, fear of men, fear of beasts, and lead to the thought of 
the protection of father and mother and the protection of the Heavenly Father. 
Be careful not to suggest fears to the children, but to let the conversation 
lead to the banishment of fears and confident trust in parents and God. 

Song — (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the With a father's kindness gives them daily 

angels mild, bread, 

God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 

child: Tell all little children of this Father true; 

Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; Who will ne'er forsake them, if his will they 
Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. do. 

Prayer — 

All repeat (do not sing) : 

Father dear, I fain would thank thee 
For my long, refreshing sleep, 
And the watch that thou didst keep 
While I slumbered soft and deep, 
O'er thy child so lovingly. 

Song — (For words and music see p. 235) 

(Introduce as another birthday song in preparation for Jesus' birthday.) 

We three kings of Orient are; 
Bearing gifts, we traverse afar 
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, 
Following yonder Star. 

Chorus: 

O Star of wonder, Star of night, 
Star with royal beauty bright, 
Westward leading, still proceeding, 
Guide us to thy perfect light. 



58 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Glorious now behold him arise, 

Gold I bring to crown him again; King and God and sacrifice; 

King forever, ceasing never, Heaven sings "Hallelujah!" 
Over us all to reign. "Hallelujah!" earth replies. 

{Chorus) {Chorus) 

Text Exercise — 

For appropriate texts see p. 30. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 226) 

Behold I bring you good tidings, 
Good tidings of great joy; 
For unto you is born this day, 
A Savior which is Christ the Lord ! 
Unto you is born in the City of David 
A Savior which is Christ the Lord ! 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall Jesus taking his little journey to Jerusalem with his 
mother and father. Let the children recall some of the stories that Jesus heard 
as a boy, some of the places where Jesus used to play, some of the places where 
he stopped on his journey to Jerusalem. Let them realize now that Jesus is 
coming nearer and nearer to the city of his destination, that his thoughts are 
centering more and more upon the great church which he is to visit and upon 
God who is worshiped there. In the nights out under the stars he had thought 
often of the care of God and had gone quietly to sleep, sure that his parents 
and his Heavenly Father were able to keep him safely in the darkness. 

On the last day before the company reached Jerusalem, they passed 
through a little town, the name of which to Jesus' ear would have a peculiar 
significance — Beth-El, in the language of Jesus the " House of God." It may 
easily be imagined that as Jesus passed through this town the story of how 
the town got its name would come to his mind as a story often told him by his 
mother. Suggest this thought to the children and lead them to wish to hear 
of the naming of this place. 



THE MEMORY STONE 59 

Long, long ago, one of God's children, Jacob, was going away from his 
home. His father and mother wanted him to go on a long journey to another 
land to see his uncle, and perhaps to live for a long time in a strange country. 
Jacob did not know, as we know, that God was everywhere, and could be with 
him in the far-away country as at home, and perhaps he was just a little bit 
afraid to go so far. Perhaps when he lay down on the ground at night and 
looked up at the stars he felt very lonely and wished that he were at home again. 
It happens that just the spot where stood the little town of Bethel was the 
spot where Jacob lay down to sleep one night on his long journey to the far 
country. Was he particularly lonely that night, and was that the reason why 
he dreamed ? Stop here a moment to let the children tell you of their own 
dreams, but only a moment. Then tell as effectively as you can the story of 
Jacob's dream, omitting however the thought of verse 17, which, while 
natural to one having the thought of God which Jacob had, is out of 
harmony with the children's conception of God as a loving, protecting Father. 
Let your story lead up with emphasis to the grateful act of Jacob in the 
early morning when he placed in this spot where God had so comforted him 
a stone, which would remind him whenever he passed that way of all that 
God had done for him. Suggest that all other people seeing that stone 
there might also think that it meant that God had spoken to someone 
there, and so by and by the town came to be called the House of God, 
Beth-El. 

Do you not think that this story would be sure to come into the mind of 
Jesus as he passed on his way to the great house of God at Jerusalem, and do 
you not think that he might say to himself, "What can I do in memory of all 
that my Heavenly Father has done for me?" Do you suppose that Jesus 
ever thought then that some day all the world would be setting apart a day 
in memory of him, a day in which we give tokens of love to all our friends, a 
day in which we receive gifts which will remind us of the love that is in the 
world, a day to remind us of Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived, because 
he gave most to the world ? 



6o 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song — 

Holy night ! silent night ! 

All is calm, all is bright, 

Round yon Virgin mother and child; 

Holy infant tender and mild, 

Rest in heav'nly peace. 

Rest in heav'nly peace. 

Holy night ! silent night ! 
Wondrous Star, lend thy light ! 
With the angels let us sing 
Hallelujah to our King ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 



(For music see p. 

Holy night ! silent night ! 
Guiding Star, lend thy light ! 
See the eastern wise men bring 
Gifts and homage to our King ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 

Holy night ! silent night ! 
Shepherds saw the wondrous light, 
Waked by angels' glorious strain: 
Peace on earth, good will to men. 
Christ is born indeed ! 
Christ is born indeed ! 



250) 



Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children review the notebooks 
and select all the pages which in any way suggest gifts, of God or of parents. 
Let them decide whether they would rather give or receive and help them 
if possible to color, not merely mechanically, but with feeling and interest, 
the text on the new page. 

Song — "Away in a manger. " (For words and music see p. 229) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XI 

H <3reat Disit In a Great Cxtp 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

To suggest the thought of service to the Heavenly Father, and to increase 
the interest and joy of children in association with Jesus in his visit to the 
city and to the temple. 

The children for whom these lessons are intended are too young to exper- 
ience themselves the actual dedication of life to the service of God, for that 
experience comes normally after the period of adolescence begins. There is 
no reason why the thought of such dedication, and the observance of the outward 
symbol of it, in the reception of older children into the church membership 
should not make a strong impression upon the little child, and lead him to look 
forward to the time when he too shall take upon himself the responsibility of 
the church life. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read the story of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem, and his visit to the temple 
contained in Luke, chap. 2 and also all that you can find concerning Jerusalem 
and the temple. Here again it will be remembered that the same material 
is used in Lesson 13 of the earlier volume, but in that lesson it was necessary 
to emphasize much which the child, using this second series, has already 
gathered from previous lessons, such as data concerning the life of Jesus in 
his home, the things which he lived with and thought about, and his attitude 
toward his own parents, and toward God the Father. Your approach to 
this lesson has been already created for you in the preceding Sundays in which 
the children have been with Jesus on his journey. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

61 



62 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — u Whetl morning gilds the skies. 1 '' (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let this conversation suggest to the children 
first the many evidences of God's care and interest in the out-of-doors of the 
country, the growing things, grass, trees, flowers, the soft snow covering them 
in the winter in the cold climates, the country roads easy for the horses to 
travel upon, the broad pastures where the cattle may feed, the corn and wheat 
fields where bread is in the making for millions of people. Then raise the 
question, How is it in the city ? Are we as sure that God is there as that he is 
in the country ? Let the children discuss reasons for it. Raise the question 
of working for God. What is it? If one wanted to work for God could he 
do it as well in the country as in the city, or in the city as well as in the country ? 
It is not intended that this conversation should be followed with any exactness, 
but adapted wholly to the local conditions, the aim being to carry the thought 
of the children with Jesus into the city of Jerusalem where God was as manifest 
to him as in the beautiful country through which he had been traveling. 

Song — (For music see p. 230) 

Why do bells for Christmas ring ? There a darling baby lay, 

Why do little children sing ? Pillowed soft upon the hay, 

Once a lovely shining star, And his mother sang and smiled. 

Seen by shepherds from afar, "This is Christ, the Holy Child." 

Gently moved until its light, So the bells for Christmas ring, 

Made a manger cradle bright. So do little children sing. 

Prayer — 

Leader: Let us sing softly. (For music see p. 234) 

All: 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 

Leader: O, dear Father, we want to thank thee for thy gifts, and thy care, 
for all the good friends which we have, for the joy of giving, and the power 
to give. We have no great gifts for thee or for our friends, but to Thee and 



A GREAT VISIT IN A GREAT CITY 



63 



to them we would give ourselves, our feet to go thy ways, our hands to do thy 
work, our voices to tell of thy goodness, our ears to hear all thy commands, 
and our eyes to find opportunities to serve thee. Take thou our gift of service, 
Lord, and give us in return the joy of thy acceptance. For Jesus' sake we 
ask it. A: 



Song 



Holy night ! silent night ! 

All is calm, all is bright, 

Round yon Virgin mother and child; 

Holy infant tender and mild, 

Rests in heav'nly peace, 

Rests in heav'nly peace. 

Holy night ! silent night ! 
Guiding Star, lend thy light ! 
See the eastern wise men bring 
Gifts and homage to our King ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 



(For music see p. 250) 

Holy night, silent night ! 
Wondrous Star, lend thy light ! 
With the angels let us sing 
Hallelujah to our King! 
Jesus Christ is here ! 
Jesus Christ is here. 

Holy night ! silent night ! 
Shepherds saw the wondrous light, 
Waked by angels' glorious strain. 
Peace on earth, good will to men : 
Christ is born indeed ! 
Christ is born indeed I 



Song Text 



(For music see p. 226) 



Behold I bring you good tidings, 

Good tidings of great joy. 

For unto you is born this day 

A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

Unto you is born in the city of David, 

A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 30. 



Song— 



(For music see p. 235) 



We three kings of Orient are; 
Bearing gifts, we traverse afar 
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, 
Following yonder star. 

Chorus: 

O Star of wonder, Star of night, 
Star with royal beauty bright, 
Westward leading, still proceeding, 
Guide us to thy perfect light. 



64 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Glorious now behold him arise, 

Gold I bring to crown him again; King and God and sacrifice; 

King forever, ceasing never, Heaven sings "Hallelujah!" 
Over us all to reign. "Hallelujah!" earth replies. 

{Chorus) {Chorus) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Arouse the children's interest in getting to the end of a journey. 
Recall the expectation, the eagerness, the many things to see and think about 
and the joy of accomplishment. Then remind them of the journey which 
they have been taking with Jesus, Sunday by Sunday, and tell them that the 
journey has now been accomplished, that Jesus has come to the city of Jerusa- 
lem, and that on the morrow he is to be taken to the great house of God, the 
temple in Jerusalem, to worship with his father and mother. Describe some 
of the things which Jesus will see, the narrow streets, the donkeys carrying 
burdens and people, the camels coming and going, the children playing in 
the streets, the men shouting to their beasts of burden, the little booths where 
they could go to get their money changed into the right kind of money to use 
in Jerusalem, the old friends whom they would wish to visit. Perhaps there 
were boys whom Jesus had known before. How they would talk about their 
school and their games, but underneath it all would not Jesus be thinking 
about tomorrow ? Tell the children something about what Jesus had already 
learned in school, the Commandments, many, many chapters about the history 
of his country, and the laws which he would be expected to obey, laws about 
praying, about bringing his own sacrifice to the temple, about eating and 
drinking and washing, and about the clothes which he should wear, for in 
those days people thought that God made laws about all these things. Would 
Jesus be afraid of a God whom the people told him made so many laws? 
Now tell the story of what really happened when Jesus did go to the 
temple. Describe walking up the hill, stopping at the outskirts of the 
temple to purchase the dove or lamb for a sacrifice. Pass with Jesus 
within the beautiful gates and introduce the children to the spacious doors 
and porches, the floors of colored marbles, the steps overlaid with gold, the 



A GREAT VISIT IN A GREAT CITY 65 

holy place, and the most holy place where none but the chief priest might go, 
the many white-robed priests, the choirs of boys and men, the silver trumpets 
announcing the different steps in the service, the kneeling crowds, the ascend- 
ing smoke of the burning sacrifice, and then when the sacrifice is over, the 
little boy left to wander about in the great place, visiting the porches and 
talking with whomever he chose. Let the children feel his intense interest 
in everything which he saw. Let them understand how every ceremony 
filled his boyish imagination with thoughts of God to whom it was all directed. 
Let them feel his eagerness to know more about God, and to talk with all the 
old and wise men scattered around the porches in little groups where people 
might gather and ask them questions. When you come to the end of the story, 
where his parents miss him in their homeward journey, do not let the children 
feel that Jesus has been remiss, but hold their interest so closely to the interests 
of Jesus, that they will feel with Jesus that his mother and father should have 
looked for him first of all in the place which he had found so intensely inter- 
esting, the place where he was learning about his Heavenly Father. Was 
he not already saying to himself that when he grew up he would certainly 
spend his life in the service of the Father ? 

Song — (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the With a father's kindness gives him daily 

angels mild, bread, 

God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry child; Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 

Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; Tell all little children of this Father true; 

Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. Who will ne'er forsake them if his will they 

do. , 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the whole time be given to talking 

about the visit in Jerusalem. Let the children study all the details of the 

picture which they are to paste into their book : the roll, the book, the dress 

of the men and of Jesus, but especially the faces, as Jesus asks his earnest 

questions, and seeks to find in the answers of the learned men confirmation 

of his own ideas about God, His own look is one of, "I must find out." 

Let the children feel this. 



66 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song— 

In the little village of Bethlehem 

There lay a child one day, 
And the sky was bright with a holy light, 

O'er the place where Jesus lay; 
Alleluia ! O how the angels sang, 

Alleluia ! how it rang, 
And the sky was bright with a holy light— 

'Twas the birthday of a King. 



Chorus: 



(For music see p. 231) 



how 



'Twas a humble birthplace, but oh! 
much 

God gave to us that day; 
From the manger bed, what a path has led, 

What a perfect, holy way: 
Alleluia ! O how the angels sang, 

Alleluia ! how it rang, 
And the sky was bright with a holy light, 

'Twas the birthday of a King. 



Alleluia ! O how the angels sang, 
Alleluia ! O how the chorus sang, 

And the sky was bright with a holy light, 
'Twas the birthday of a King. 



Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils 



Song — "Praise ye the Father." 



(For words and music see p. 229) 



Closing Sentences 



(See p. 11) 



LESSON XII 

XTbe Birtbfcap of 3esus 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to fix the attention of the children upon the 
anniversary of the birthday of Jesus, and to help them to realize the appropri- 
ateness of celebrating this anniversary by giving joy to others. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

The preceding lessons have emphasized the thought of gifts somewhat 
and the children are ready to make some expresson of their Christmas feeling. 
They will therefore prepare on this Sunday a little gift described in the group 
work to be presented to the person of their choice. As leader your task will 
be to make the service throughout in harmony with this spirit of Christmas 
joy and good will, and to perfect yourself in the presentation of the story 
which has been chosen. As stated in the Introduction it seemed best to give 
this story, or such another as you may choose as an appropriate and helpful 
Christmas story, instead of the infancy stories of Jesus, because the infancy 
stories were touched upon at the beginning of the series and they will also 
be suggested in the group work. They may be used however if the teacher 
prefers, and will fit into the service and the group work equally well. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Why do bells for Christmas ring ?" (For words and music see p. 230) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: It is hardly necessary to suggest a special con- 
versation here since every teacher will be interested in local conditions which 
will make a specially appropriate point of contact with the children on this 
day. Perhaps if no better theme suggests itself that of birthdays will afford 

67 



68 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

an opportunity specially to emphasize the reasons for which we celebrate 
Christmas and a discussion of how it is appropriate to celebrate the anni- 
versary of the birth of Jesus through whom the world learned to know the 
loving Heavenly Father. 

Song — u Away in a manger" (For music see p. 229) 

Prayer — 

Leader: Let us bow our heads and thank our Father for his gift. 

Our Father, we thank thee for all thy gifts to us, sunshine and rain, home 
and friends, strong bodies and happy hearts, but more than all these, for the 
gift of thy dear Son, who was born a little child, and grew to manhood, giving 
his life to teach the world of thee. Help us to give our hearts to him in loving 
obedience and willing service. For Jesus' sake we ask it. Amen. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 226) 

Behold I bring you good tidings, 

Good tidings of great joy. 

For unto you is born this day 

A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

Unto you is born in the city of David, 

A Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

Song (By a group of children) — (For music see p. 225) 

As Joseph was a-walking, "He neither shall be rocked 

He heard an angel sing, In silver nor in gold, 

"This night shall be the birth-night But in the wooden manger 

Of Christ, our heavenly King; That lieth on the mould; 

His birth-bed shall be neither He neither shall be clothed 

In housen nor in hall, In purple nor in pall, 

Nor in the place of Paradise, . But in the fair white linen 

But in the open stall. That usen babies all." 

As Joseph was a-walking, 

Thus did the angel sing, 
And Mary's Son at midnight 
Was born to be our King; 
Then be you glad, good people, 

At this time of the year; 
And light you up your candles, 
For his star, it shineth clear. 



THE BIRTHDAY OF JESUS 69 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 30. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 247) 

Suffer the little children to come unto me, 

And forbid them not, 

For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Tell your story as effectively as possible but keeping always in mind that 
the glory of giving is to be emphasized whether you use the following story 
or not. 

SAINT CHRISTOPHER AND THE CHRIST-CHILD 

The following version of the old legend is piinted by permission from the volume, Child's Christ Tales, by 
Andrea Hofer Proudfoot. 

Even after the Christ-Child had come upon the earth, and the children of the world 
and the grown people, too, had heard the story over and over, they still watched and waited 
for him. 

When he went to his Father, his last words had been promises of his coming back 
again, and sweet thoughts like these he left with us: I go to my Father, but I shall return 
again; Lo, I am with you alway. So it is no wonder that the world went on waiting and 
watching, and working to be good enough to receive him when he came again. Far back, 
many years ago, when good men were called saints, there lived one named Christopher. 
He was very large and strong, and could lift the heaviest burdens on his back, and his legs 
were so stout that he could travel far without growing tired. 

Although he loved God and did all the good things he could, yet he knew very little of 
the wise things of the world, and thought it would be almost useless for him to think of 
serving the King of Heaven by prayers and beautiful words, as did all the people who passed 
through his home place on their way to Jerusalem. 

One day he went to a very good brother who was wiser than many others, and who 
lived all alone in a cave and was called a hermit. He thought he would ask him what he 
might do to serve God more and better than he ever had before. The hermit lived a long 
way, so Christopher broke off a palm-tree to use as a staff, for he was a man of great power. 

When he found the hermit, he said to him: "Brother, I am strong and large; I can 
bear heavy loads and walk through stony paths long distances and never weary. See this 
palm which I broke with my single hand. Yet, brother, I would rather serve God and have 
his blessing than be strong without a purpose." 

"Then, good Christopher, you may do as I tell you. There is a river with a stony 
bottom, wide and deep, with steep banks, through which all our people must pass on their 
way to Jerusalem. There is no bridge nor any other path, and every rain fills these high 
banks, and many people are compelled to wait and lose their way. Do you know the river ? " 

Christopher bowed his head. 



70 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

"If you would serve God, go and serve his people, and help them over this water, so 
deep and rocky and wide." 

Christopher bowed his head again. 

"Why do you not speak ? Do you fear?" the hermit asked. 

But Christopher only raised his head and answered: "It is nothing for me to carry 
loads and fight the water. I want to learn beautiful prayers and go as a pilgrim with the 
other worshipers." 

"Christopher, my brother," said the hermit, "serve and love your brethren first, and 
then you will begin to know how to serve and love the Father. You will know, some day, 
why I speak thus; for when you love others you love the Christ-Child as well." 

And Christopher bowed his head and went away. He took his great staff, made of the 
palm-tree which he had torn up and with other palms he built himself a hut at the crossing 
of the river. There day after day he toiled and helped the travelers over. When the 
rains came and the water was very deep he would put people on his shoulders, and when 
little children came to cross, he always bore them so much more joyously. 

At night the people would call out to him, and if there was not a single star he would 
go just the same, without a question; for his brave feet knew every stone in the watery path. 

One very dark night — so dark that Christopher almost prayed that no one would 
come to call him out into the rain — he heard a cry, as if a baby were without its mother in 
the storm. 

"It is the wind," said Christopher; and he tried to sleep and forget. 

Again the cry came: "Christopher, come, come!" 

He raised his head, threw about him his coat, and opened the door. His light nickered 
out, and the storm still roared. 

"Christopher, Christopher, come and carry me over!" And he broke through the 
door and went out into the dark. 

There in the storm he found a young child, naked and all alone, sitting and waiting for 
him. 

"Carry me over, good Christopher. I must go to-night, for I promised so many 
beyond here that I was coming, and they are waiting and watching for me. Carry me over, 
good Christopher!" 

Christopher looked down upon the dear child; he smiled and lifted him to his strong 
shoulders, and taking up his staff he stepped into the swollen stream. The waters rushed 
about them. The great stones in the bottom had been moved from their places, but Christo- 
pher walked carefully, and the little one clung to him so tightly that he had no fear. 

As he stepped out deeper and deeper into the river his burden seemed to grow heavier 
and heavier, for the water beat against them both. 

It seemed as though they must surely sink, for it was a wild, wild night. 

Each step was harder than the last, and his breath came hard, and his knees could 
scarcely hold out any longer, so heavy had his burden grown. His palm staff bent as it 
helped him along, and the river seemed never so wide before. 

At length he touched the other side safe and weary. He set the child down; gently 
and lovingly he did it, with never a thought of how hard he had worked to help. And sud- 
denly, as the clouds broke and the moonlight fell upon them, he saw a beautiful being with 
shining face and holy smile; and in the quiet of the night he broke out with — "Who are 



THE BIRTHDAY OF JESUS 71 

you, my child ? who are you ? for had I carried the whole world on my shoulders to serve 
God it could not have been harder. Tell me who you are." 

And the sweet voice said: "Good Christopher, I am he whom you have been serving. 
Did you not know that in this humble, hard work at serving all, you were serving me and 
the Father? With whatever strength you have you shall serve, and it shall all be holy. 
Your staff, too, has served with all its power. If you will plant it in the ground you shall 
see what beautiful things live even in a dry staff when it works for others." 

Christopher planted his staff deep in the ground, and suddenly it blossomed into a 
beautiful fresh palm-tree, full of fruit. And his great heart was filled with content, for he 
knew that he and his staff had served the Christ-Child. 

And the Christ passed on into the early morning light that was breaking. 

Down the long pathway he went, on and on, to cheer the waiting people all the way. 

And Christopher went back to his holy work of serving men; and he no longer needed 
his staff for his happy heart never let him lose courage since he knew he was serving the 
Christ-Child. 

Song — (For music see p. 250) 

Holy night ! silent night ! Holy night ! silent night ! 

All is calm, all is bright, Wondrous Star, lend thy light ! 

Round yon Virgin mother and child; With the angels let us sing 

Holy infant tender and mild, Hallelujah to our King! 

Rests in heav'nly peace, Jesus Christ is here ! 

Rests in heav'nly peace. Jesus Christ is here 1 

Holy night ! silent night ! Holy night ! silent night ! 

Guiding Star, lend thy light ! Shepherds saw the wondrous light, 
See the eastern wise men bring > Waked by angels' glorious strain. 

Gifts and homage to our King! Peace on earth, good will to men: 

Jesus Christ is here! Christ is born indeed! 

Jesus Christ is here ! Christ is born indeed ! 

Song — (For music see p. 235) 

We three kings of Orient are; 
Bearing gifts, we traverse afar 
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, 
Following yonder star. 

Chorus: O Star of wonder, Star of night, 
Star with royal beauty bright, 
Westward leading, still proceeding, 
Guide us to thy perfect light. 

Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Glorious now behold him arise, 

Gold I bring to crown him again; King and gold and sacrifice; 

King forever, ceasing never, Heaven sings "Hallelujah!" 
Over us all to reign. "Hallelujah!" earth replies. 

(Chorus) (Chorus) 



72 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Two pages are to be given out this time, 
not, however, to be placed in the books, but given away. Let the children paste 
the picture of the Madonna in place, study its characteristics and compare it 
with other pictures of the Mother and Child which they have seen. Let them 
study the border carefully, noting all the symbolic designs and telling the 
stories which they suggest. They may then tie up the sheets with ribbon 
which the teacher should provide and discuss the question of the presenta- 
tion of the gift. The poems assigned in this lesson may be kept. 

Birthday Offering and Birthday Song — "In the little village of Bethlehem.'" 

(For words and music see p. 231) 

Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Carol brothers, carol" (For words and music see p. 236) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



SERIES IV 

IDEALS OF CONDUCT AS REPRESENTED BY STORIES 

orientation: JESUS reading stories in his home IN NAZARETH; 

OTHER CHILDREN READING STORIES IN THEIR HOMES 

The teacher will recognize by this time that it is the purpose of the author 
of these lessons to keep the children as long as possible in the atmosphere of 
the youth of Jesus. The difficulty of this task is readily seen when we con- 
sider the paucity of the information which we have as to the' circumstances 
of the youth of Jesus. The story of the infancy and the one story of the 
journey to Jerusalem would make but a very meager foundation for such an 
association if we did not have very definite knowledge of the customs and 
beliefs and habits of life of the Jewish people. The Bible itself is full of 
suggestions of this character, and in addition to that there are many writers 
who have made a special study of the history of the times, and have given us 
abundant material for local color. This sort of building-up of the life of 
Jesus is perfectly legitimate and a very different matter from the fanciful 
stories which one finds in the legends of the many ancient faiths and 
apocryphal writings. 

Every child reaches forward in his thought to the time when he will be 
grown up, and from the earliest years is forming for himself a model, his ideal 
toward which he is unconsciously growing. If we can, therefore, so impress 
the child with the fact of Jesus as a real boy, having the experiences of a real 
boy, we can make the life of Jesus as a man much more forceful in its influence 
upon the character of the child, who will involuntarily through this com- 
panionship with the youthful Jesus wish to become more and more like Jesus, 
the man. 

In this series of lessons the children are associated with Jesus in their 
common love of stories. The stories which were told to Jesus and which 

73 



74 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

he doubtless dearly loved are the stories which they may find for themselves 
in the same book in which Jesus found them, and in this book they may 
also find with Jesus high ideals of conduct and life. The stories have 
little or no connection with each other in this series. Each stands by 
itself presenting a single ethical principle. These principles are extremely 
simple and have to do with the most elementary and fundamental principles 
of right conduct. Whatever unity there may be in the series, therefore, is 
found in the boy, the book, and conduct. 

LESSON XIII 

XTbe flDan WLho IRept his promise 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lay emphasis upon the very simple principle 
of keeping a promise or contract. The question has been raised as to whether 
this principle should be cultivated in a child since the promises 
are apt to be rash and should be overruled by the parents. Teaching 
the ethical principle of keeping a promise or fulfilling a contract should not 
be postponed until the judgment of the child has matured. Mistakes will 
be made, doubtless, but a wise parent will do better to cultivate the principle of 
faithfulness in the child, and wait with patience for judgment to reach the 
point where mistakes will not be made. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read the story of Jephtha found in Judg., chap. n. This story belongs 
to the barbaric period of Israel's history. It cannot be told to little children 
just as it is given in the Bible, but it is a wonderfully beautiful story, an heroic 
tale in which the barbarity of the act is overshadowed by the tremendous 
strength of the religious adherence to a purpose, and a vow, fulfilled at the 
cost of what was most dear to the hero of the story. The story is told fully 
for the benefit of those teachers who do not feel quite able to handle so difficult 



THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS PROMISE 75 

a theme. Read also from Edersheim, Lije and Times of Jesus and Jewish 
Social Lije, concerning school and home of Jewish children in Palestine. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: If possible introduce this conversation by some 
suggestion of the unfailing promises of nature, the seed which goes into the 
ground promising to become a plant and, with the aid of the sunshine and the 
rain, to flower, the sun going down with its promise to return again and bring 
the morning, the moon going out in darkness each month with a promise to 
return again on a certain day as a little silvery crescent, the trees going to 
sleep in the winter with a promise to send out their buds and leaves when 
warm springtime comes, and back of all these promises the thought of God 
who holds all these things in his keeping and continually strives to help them 
to keep their promises. Let the children express themselves freely. 

Song — (For music see p. 223) 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning Thy nations all are singing night and day, 

ray, " Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 

We praise thee with the fading light of day; By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are!" 

All things that live and move by sea and land The list'ning earth repeats the song afar. 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Prayer — 

Leader: Our dear Father, we thank thee for thy sure promises. We 
thank thee that each day we may count upon another day, and the returning 
seasons. Dear Father, we are very small and unimportant in this great 
world, but we rest upon thy promise to care for us, to make us grow strong 
and wise, and fit at last to be thy valued servants. Help us to remember 
thy promises. For Jesus' sake. Amen. 



76 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the With a father's kindness gives him daily 

angels mild, bread, 

God our loving Father looks on ev'ry child: Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 

Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; Tell all little children of this Father true; 

Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. Who will ne'er forsake them if his will they 



do. 



Text Exercise — 



Prov. 
Prov. 


15:1 
16:32 


Prov. 


21:23 


Prov. 


22: 1: 


Prov. 


12: 19 



Texts appropriate to this series are as follows: 

Matt. 5:48: Ye therefore shall be perfect, even as your Father is perfect. 

Matt. 7:11: Ask and it shall be given you. 

Matt. 11:28: Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give 

you rest. 
Matt. 22 : 37, ^8, 39: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all 

thy soul, and with all thy mind Thou shalt love thy neighbor 

as thyself. 

A soft answer turneth away wrath. 

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth 

his spirit than he that taketh a city. 

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue 

Keepeth his soul from troubles. 

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches . 

The lip of truth shall be established forever: 

But a lying tongue is but for a moment. 
Ps. 141:3: Set a watch, O, Lord, before my mouth 

Keep the door of my lips. 
Ps. 119: 163: I hate and abhor falsehood, 

But thy law do I love. 
Ps. 119: 165: Great peace have they that love thy law. 
Ps. 40:8: I delight to do thy will, O God; 

Yea, thy law is within my heart. 
Ps. 118:6: Jehovah is on my side, I will not fear. 
Ps. 119: 105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, 

And a light unto my path. 
Luke n : 28: Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Song Text — (For music see p. 228) 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee 
In thee, O God; 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, 
In whose heart are thy ways. 



THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS PROMISE 77 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Let the children recall the long journey with Jesus and the 
joy of the celebration of his birthday. Let them anticipate the prospect of 
visits with Jesus for several more Sundays, this time Jesus in his home and 
at school. You will find information concerning his school life in Edersheim, 
Life and Times of Jesus. The memory work, the concert recitation, the 
schoolroom with the little group of children all seated cross-legged about the 
teacher who drills hour after hour, day after day, and month after month, 
in the chapters of the Old Testament. Let the children repeat with you 
something that Jesus used to say in school, two or three of the Commandments 
perhaps. Ask how many children are able to read and suggest that Jesus 
was now a big boy and could read in his own language the stories of his own 
people. Let the children substitute in their thought now for the idea of Jesus 
hearing stories from his mother, Jesus reading stories from the books of his 
fathers, stories of brave men, strong men, and wise men. Raise the question 
as to whether they would like to hear one of the stories that Jesus could read 
in his book, the story of a man who kept his promise, as follows : 

A thousand years before Jesus lived, his country was full of war. The 
Hebrew people were trying to keep and to hold the country which God had 
given to them, but there were many other strong peoples living all around, and 
they did not want the Hebrew people to have their land and were continually 
seeking to drive them out. 

There were brave men among the Hebrews who were ready to lead their 
soldiers against the enemy. They believed that God would be with them and 
would give them the victory. They did not know that all the world was 
God's, that he loved all people alike, and that they did not need to fight with 
each other, for there was room enough in the world for all people to live with- 
.out fighting. They thought that only one kind of people could live in God's 
land and that all the others must be driven out. They were right for those 
days because if they had not fought, they themselves would have been driven 
out. 



78 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

One time when enemies became very oppressive and demanded that the 
Hebrew people should give up a great deal of their land, a strong Hebrew 
man whose name was Jephtha said to himself, " I will be the general of my 
people, and will take our armies out to battle, and will destroy our enemies 
and save my country. I know that Jehovah, our God, will be with me and 
will give me victory." Jephtha did not know very much about God either. He 
thought that if God gave him ttu victory it would please God to have him give 
back something very precious, something of great value, and so before he 
went into battle he made a promise to God and he said, " O God, if thou wilt 
be with me and give me the victory this day over the enemies of Israel, then 
it shall be that whatever comes from the door of my house to meet me when I 
return in peace, I will give it as an offering to Jehovah." That was a terrible 
promise to make, for Jephtha had many in his household whom he loved, 
but he felt that God was great and strong and that the only way to repay 
God for giving him the victory would be to give him in return something living, 
for life was the most precious thing in the world. 

So Jephtha went out to battle and fought for long. Twenty cities saw the 
battles of Jephtha with the enemy, and finally after a long time he came 
back. The enemies were subdued throughout all the land, the country of 
the Hebrews was saved, and all was at peace. As Jephtha came toward his 
house, thinking proudly of his great victories, he remembered his promise 
and he looked and behold! his daughter came out dancing toward him, the 
bells of her tambourine tinkling with joy, to meet her father. She was his only 
child. As Jephtha looked upon her he tore his long cloak as the men of his 
country did when they were in sorrow and he said, "O, my daughter, thou 
hast made me very sad. I am greatly troubled. I have made a promise 
unto Jehovah, my God, and I cannot go back." And she said to him, "My 
father, thou hast made a promise unto Jehovah. Do unto me as thou hast 
promised for Jehovah hath given thee the victory over thine enemies. Only 
wait," she said, "and let me go away upon the mountains for two months, 
and then fulfil thy promise." And Jephtha said, "Go, my daughter." 



THE MAN WHO KEPT HIS PROMISE 79 

Do you think that you would be strong enough to keep a promise if it was 
very hard to keep ? Jephtha did not know as much about God as we know and 
yet Jephtha was strong enough to keep his promise. Do you think that as 
Jesus read this story over and over again he would say to himself, " Ah, that 
was a great man, Jephtha. If he had only known about God ! If he had 
only known that there was a better way to give people to God, a way of 
service, that God wanted people to work for him and to help him, then he 
could have given his daughter to God in that way!" Did Jesus think too, 
" How I wish that I could make all the world think about God as I think about 
him, my loving Father" ? 

Song — "But the Lord is mindful of his Own." (For words and music see p. 218) 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Talk with the children about the story 
and let them tell you incidents from their own lives or in their knowledge 
of people who have bravely kept hard promises. Give out the pages and read 
from Gen. 8:22 the promise of God concerning the returning seasons. 

Let the children fill out the page according to their own thought upon the 
matter, guiding without forcing thought in the right direction. 

Song — u We plough the fields." (For words and music see p. 222) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — u Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XIV 

1bow <3ofc Ikeeps 1bte promise 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lead the child to feel that his obligation to 
keep his promises is met by a corresponding obligation on the part of others 
to him. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read Gen., chaps, 6, 7, 8, and 9:1-17, letting your most thoughtful 
attention rest upon the latter part of this story with its promise of the perpetual 
return of the seasons so long as the world shall last. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children : Talk with the children about agreements and 
the signs of agreements, and the little customs by which they give things to 
each other to make them remember promises. Tell them about the old 
custom of cutting an animal in half, the two parties to the promise walking 
between the two halves, and such other customs of the signs of promises as 
you can find in your reading. Get the children interested in telling you also 
things which they know about sealing promises with a gift. 

Song — u Praise ye the Father." (For music see p. 209) 

Prayer — 

80 



HOW GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE 81 

Song — (For music see p. 207) 

Can a little child like me For the fruit upon the tree, 

Thank the Father fittingly ? For the birds that sing of thee, 

Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, For the earth in beauty drest, 

Patient, kind in all you do; Father, mother, and the rest; 

Love the Lord, and do your part; For thy precious, loving care, 

Learn to say with all your heart: For thy bounty ev'ry where, 

(Chorus) 

Father, we thank thee ! 

Father, we thank thee ! 

Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 

For the sunshine warm and bright, For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child may do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son, 
(Chorus) (Chorus) 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 76. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 251) 

Let the people praise thee, O God, 
Let all the people praise thee ; 
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
Sing for joy. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: If you can find a good outside story which will emphasize this 
same truth it would be an excellent plan to use it here instead of the biblical 
story. The children will like the Bible stories better if there is a judicious 
intermixture of the outside stories, and if they feel that Bible stories are for 
every day just as much as for Sunday, and good outside stories for Sunday 
just as well as for every day. If the Bible story of the flood is used, study it 
very carefully and tell it as one of the stories in which Jesus found satisfaction 
as he looked upon the rainbow. Make the early part of the story, the flood, 
the destruction of the people, and the saving of Noah, an introduction to 



82 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

the main story of how God made the promise to Noah, giving the sign which 
the story tells us that he gave. Then add something like the following: 
"And so when Abraham lived he kept his sheep on the hillside without any 
fear of the great cloud which hovered over, for he knew that the rain from 
the cloud would bring only refreshing showers to fill the brooks where the 
sheep drank and make green the pastures where they grazed. Moses saw 
the rainbow and knew that when he led the people out of Egypt and over the 
Red Sea (you all know that story) he could go on quite sure that in the new 
land, summer and winter and autumn and harvest would come just as in 
Egypt. Go on in this way taking in a sentence each of the characters which 
have been introduced throughout the series, thus far, making your sentences a 
reminder of something which the children know about that person, and sug- 
gesting as before the calm assurance of each in the stability of the future, in 
view of the promise of God. Then select men with whom the children are 
perfectly familiar, and finally bring it down to their own day until you have 
created a deep impression of the extent to which we plan for the future, just 
because of the stability of nature representing God. 

Song — (For music see p. 218) 

But the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 
But the Lord is mindful of his own : 

The Lord remembers his children, 
Remembers his children. 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Yea, the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 

Group Work — 

Leader and Children: Let the children refer back to the group work 
of the last lesson and notice under each head the thing which makes a promise. 
Then let them fill out the new page with promises, this time made by God to 
the different objects, ending with the question, "What does he promise you ?' ' 



HOW GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE 83 

This group work will probably be suitable whether you use the biblical story 
or an outside story. 

Song — "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 
Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils- 
Song — Let the children choose one of the Christmas songs. 
Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XV 

Ube jfl&an witb tbe Clean %ip$ 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to call the attention of the children to conscious 
cleanness of speech. Most of them are too young to have acquired habits 
of careless speech, but it is not too soon to safeguard them by making them 
feel that in those who would be servants of God special purity of speech is 
demanded. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read and study Isa., chap. 6. This story must be presented to the 
children almost as a fairy story because of the unusual circumstances and 
the supernatural element. If it is made very simple, however, the children 
will find in it great enjoyment. Prepare yourself to give a graphic description 
of the temple and of the great need in the city of Jerusalem that someone 
should carry a message from God to his people. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Recall to the children the story of Jacob and his 
dream. Talk with them about it and about dreams. Let them shut their 
eyes and tell you if they can see anything in their minds. Get them interested 
in the fact that they can see things with their minds even when they are awake. 
Raise the question whether they could hear things with their ears covered. 
See if you can lead them to the point where they hear something with their 
minds and yet actually hear no sound. Raise the question as to whether 

84 



THE MAN WITH THE CLEAN LIPS 



85 



sometimes God does not speak to our minds although we hear no voice. Would 
it not be fine if we could always know when he speaks to us ? Lead the 
children to suggest what he might say. 
Song— 



When morning gilds the skies, 
My heart awaking cries 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! 
Alike at work and pray'r 
To Jesus I repair; 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Prayer — (Do not sing) 
All: 

Father, lead me day by day, 
Ever in thine own good way; 
Teach me to be pure and true; 
Show me what I ought to do. 

Song — 

Can a little child like me, 
Thank the Father fittingly ? 
Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, 
Patient, kind in all you do; 
Love the Lord, and do your part; 
Learn to say with all your heart: 

Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee ! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 



(For music see p. 240) 

Whene'er the sweet church bell 
Peals over hill and dell 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! 
O, hark to what it sings, 
As joyously it rings; 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! 



When in danger, make me brave; 
Make me know that thou canst save; 
Keep me safe by thy dear side; 
Let me in thy love abide. 

(For music see p. 207) 

For the fruit upon the tree, 
For the birds that sing of thee, 
For the earth n beauty drest, 
Father, mother, and the rest; 
For thy precious, loving care, 
For thy bounty ev'rywhere, 



For the sunshine warm and bright, 
For the day and for the night; 
For the lessons of our youth, 
Honor, gratitude, and truth; 
For the love that met us here, 
For the home and for the cheer, 
(Chorus) 
Song — "We praise thee, Lord." 



For our comrades and our plays, ■ 
And our happy holidays; 
For the joyful work and true 
That a little child may do; 
For our lives but just begun; 
For the great gift of thy Son, 
(Chorus) 

(For music see p. 223) 



Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 76. 
March Song and Offering — 



(For words and music see p. 205) 



86 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Lead the children to recall to you the story of Samuel. Suggest 
that when Jesus was a boy, like all others boys he loved to hear stories of 
wonderful things, stories with angels in them and beautiful visions. Let 
the children feel the note of sympathy between Jesus and themselves in this 
regard and suggest that you are going to tell them a story which Jesus read 
many times when he was a boy, the story of a man who saw and heard with 
his mind, saw a beautiful vision and heard a wonderful message. Tell them 
about the conditions in Jerusalem where many people had forgotten God, 
were worshiping other gods and living as they pleased, lying, cheating, 
dressing, and living extravagantly, while the poor people had not enough to 
eat. Suggest the anxiety of the young man Isaiah about all this; coming into 
daily contact with the court and seeing all the richness there, walking the 
streets and seeing the poverty he felt that it was all wrong, that God cared 
only that people should be kind, and gentle, and generous, and should help 
each other; that if they are not like that they could not come near to him. 
"Isaiah thought of God as so clean, and so great, and so wise that he was 
afraid that God would forget all the wicked people about him and great 
misfortunes would come upon the city. Isaiah called God holy, a word that 
he used when he meant pure, and kind, and merciful, and full of power and 
wisdom. One day Isaiah paid a visit to the temple (let the children here 
recall to you the temple, for they will remember it from the visit which Jesus 
made there), and while he was there he saw the wonderful vision and received 
the great message which was to affect all his life. Tell now the story in 6 : 1-13 
very simply. Speak of the seraphim as angels. From vss. 8 to the end it 
may be interpreted something as follows : " And I heard a voice saying, ' Who 
will go with my message?' and I said, 'Here am I; send me,' and the voice 
said, ' Go and tell all the people who have forgotten me, ' Listen ! You have not 
heard the voice of God because you were too busy with your own affairs. 
You have not understood what he said to you. You have grown rich but 
you have been blind, and your ears did not hear right. Turn about before 



THE MAN WITH THE CLEAN LIPS 87 

it is too late and listen to what God says to you.' Then Isaiah answered 
the voice and he said, 'How long shall I speak this message? The people 
will not listen. How long shall I keep on speaking ? ' Then the voice said, 
'Keep on speaking as long as there is anyone to hear you. Never give up 
because there will be a few people who will listen and they shall be saved 
when the city is destroyed.'" 

Make the emphasis of your story upon the point where the lips of Isaiah 
are made pure in order that he may deliver this message. Raise the question 
with the children as to whether it is not a great thing to keep one's lips clean 
in speech in order that one may be ready to carry a message from God when 
the time shall come. Recall to them that when Jesus was in the temple as a 
boy he made up his mind that he was going to tell people what he thought 
about God when he grew up. I wonder if this story which he read about 
Isaiah made him feel how very necessary it was that he should keep his lips 
pure and clean and fit to tell the world the message which he had in his heart. 

Song — (For music see p. 208) 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Holy, holy, holy! tho' the darkness hide 

Early in the morning our song shall rise thee,- 

to thee; Tho' the eye of sinful man thy glory may 

Holy, holy, holy ! merciful and mighty ! not see, 

Which wert, and art, and evermore shall Only thou art holy; there is none beside 
be. thee 

Perfect in pow'r, in love and purity. 
Group Work — 

Run through the notebook with the children and let them select, if 
they can, one or more lessons which they think Jesus might make part of 
his message. Guide them without their realizing it to the thought of the love 
of God the Father and then let them color the new text, "Oh Lord! keep the 
door of my lips," interpreting it to them as they work. 

Song — " Praise ye the Father" (For words and music see p. 209) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils- 
Song — u Carol, brothers, Carol." (For words and music see p. 236) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . u) 



LESSON XVI 

Uhc Bvavc Sbepberfc Bo£ 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

To suggest the idea of simple courage and prompt action in the face 
of danger, especially the danger of those intrusted to one's care. 

PREPARATION OP THE LESSON 

Read stories of David which bring out his personal characteristics such 
as those contained in I Sam., chaps. 16 and 17. The story contained in the 
lesson is merely suggested by vss. 34 to 37 in chap. 17. The remainder of 
the story must be constructed from one's knowledge of the times of the shep- 
herd life, of the dangers and the necessity for courage, devotion, and self- 
forgetfulness on the part of the shepherd. If it seems preferable, this story 
maybe combined with one or two other brief stories of shepherds and the dangers 
which they have encountered for the sake of the flock, but do* not take the 
story which Jesus tells of going out after the lost sheep, for that forms the 
theme of a lesson later on in the year. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from leader; response from school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Call forth a discussion from the children of 
various qualities which they would like to possess, such as beauty, gentleness, 
height, physical strength, courage, etc. Let them discuss the quality of 
courage and devotion shown by dogs, horses, and other animals in protecting 
those to whom they are devoted. Suggest that this kind of courage of which 
they have talked is the courage that comes because of love. Great love casts 
out fear and makes people brave. 

88 



THE BRAVE SHEPHERD BOY 



89 



Song— 

From the bright blue heavens, with the 

angels mild, 
God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry. child: 
Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; 
Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children (repeat) : 

Father, lead me day by day 
Ever in thine own good way 
Teach me to be pure and true 
Show me what I ought to do. 

Song- 
Can a little child like me, 
Thank the Father fittingly ? 
Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, 
Patient, kind in all you do; 
Love the Lord, and do your part; 
Learn to say with all your heart: 



(For music see p. 228) 

With a father's kindness gives him daily 

bread, 
Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 
Tell all little children of this Father true; 
Who will ne'er forsake them if his will they 

do. 



When in danger make me brave; 
Make me know that thou canst save; 
Keep me safe by thy dear side; 
Let me in thy love abide. 



(For words and music see p. 

For the fruit upon the tree, 
For the birds that sing of thee, 
For the earth in beauty drest, 
Father, mother, and the rest; 
For thy precious, loving care, 
For thy bounty ev'rywhere, 



207) 



Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee ! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee 



For the sunshine warm and bright, 
For the day and for the night; 
For the lessons of our youth, 
Honor, gratitude, and truth; 
For the love that met us here, 
For the home and for the cheer, 
{Chorus) 



For our comrades and our plays, 
And our happy holidays; 
For the joyful work and true 
That a little child may do; 
For our lives but just begun; 
For the great gift of thy Son, 
{Chorus) 



Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 76. 

Song Text- 
Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, 
In thee, O God; 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, 
In whose heart are thy ways. 



(For music see p. 228) 



90 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall the boy Jesus and the stories which he read. Ask the 
children if they have read any stories about brave people. There was a story 
about David and a giant which Jesus loved to read, not only because it was 
about a brave young man, but because the giant was an enemy to the Hebrew 
people and Jesus loved to read the story of how young David killed the giant. 

Out on the hills near Jesus' home there were shepherds who took care of 
their flocks and Jesus sometimes walked out to the hills and talked with 
the shepherds. The shepherds were kind and strong men and they told 
Jesus how sometimes a wolf would come or a young lion, from the forest 
where he had been lurking, and would carry away one of the best lambs 
from the flock, and how dangerous it was for them unless there were two or 
three shepherds together. If there was but one shepherd, it might be best 
to lose the lamb and let the wild beast satisfy his hunger with it, so that he 
would not come again that night to the flock. Then perhaps Jesus would 
think of another story of the young David which he knew, and which he had 
read many times in his book. 

David was a strong, fine lad, good to look upon, tanned by the sun, made 
strong by being out in the open air and by walking about the fields and woods. 
When he was old enough to be trusted with the flocks of sheep he was made 
a shepherd, the keeper of his father's sheep. Day after day he would lead 
his flocks into green places where they could find plenty of food, grass to 
nibble, roots which they liked to eat, and best of all, a sparkling stream where 
they could quench their thirst and lie down in the cool shade and rest under 
the trees. David loved his sheep, they were so gentle and he was gentle too; 
they were so ready to follow a leader and he loved to lead; they were so 
helpless when danger confronted them and he loved to protect them. At 
night he would drive them close into a sheltered fold, a sort of yard, some- 
times with a roof over it where they would be protected if there were storms, 



THE BRAVE SHEPHERD BOY 91 

but usually open, because the storms were not frequent in that country. 
Sometimes there would be a gate to close them in. David, as he lay down un- 
der the stars with his cloak about him, would think how God too was watching 
him as he watched over his sheep, and perhaps he would say to himself, "The 
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green 
pastures and leadeth me beside the still waters." 

But there were wild beasts which often attacked the flocks, so when 
David lay down at night he always had beside him his strong shepherd's staff 
and his sling with good stones, in case he should need it. No doubt David 
had many adventures out there on the edge of the forest and in the lonely fields. 
But David lived more than two thousand years ago and we know only one 
little story about him and his sheep, the story that Jesus used to read. One 
day as the sheep were quietly nibbling and David was perhaps playing on his 
shepherd's horn, and everything seemed to be quiet and peaceful, a great lion 
came stalking out of the shadow of the forest. Slowly and quietly he came, 
stealing up to the flock behind David. The shepherd heard a little plaintive 
bleat and a sudden moving of all the sheep. He turned quickly and saw the 
lion already with a little struggling lamb in his mouth. Was David afraid, all 
alone there ? Full of pity for the frightened sheep whom he loved he forgot to 
be afraid. Although the lion was a huge beast he rushed at him with his 
staff and struck him on the head with the heavy end of it. The angry beast 
opened his mouth to seize David, and so dropped the lamb. David seized 
him by his beard and again his staff came down with a crushing blow, and 
the lion dropped dead. Then did David think for the first time of his own 
danger and again he said to himself, "The Lord is my shepherd. He has 
taken care of me, while I have been taking care of my sheep." 

There was no story which the shepherds could tell which Jesus liked 
so well as this story, for although there were not pictures of people then as 
in these days, in Jesus' mind was a wonderful picture of the strong, brave 
David, who, loving his sheep, and forgetting himself, was filled with courage 
and strength. Did Jesus say to himself, " Oh, if I were a shepherd, that is the 



92 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

way that I would take care of my sheep. I would never be afraid. God 
would take care of me, just as he took care of David" ? 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 

Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 

And he is mine for ever. . And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house for ever. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Talk with the children about the story 
and let them fill in the partly printed story on the page. This will be quite 
a difficult task and will probably consume all the time there is. If any time 
is left let them tell deeds of courage of which they have heard. 

Psalm 23 (Leader will read with introductory words) — 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Can you count the Stars ?" (For words and music see p. 239) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON XVII 

Hnotber JBxavc Boy 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to further emphasize the idea of courage and 
connect it with more modern times so that it comes still more closely into the 
life of the child, who is not called upon to meet lions and bears in his daily 
life as David was. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Master your story and be careful to use the little touches in introducing 
the different parts of the service which make it seem a unit, carrying the child 
from one act to the next in a harmonious way. After a few sentences calling 
out the subject of courage, let the children tell to you the story which you 
told last Sunday concerning David and the lion. See if you can find a child 
who can tell the story of David and Goliath very briefly with a little help from 
you. Suggest that we will have another story of courage later in the hour. 

Song — "May Jesus Christ be praised!" (For words and music see p. 240) 

Prayer — 

Leader: 

"Let us ask our Father in heaven to make us brave and strong." 

All: 

Father, lead me day by day, When in danger, make me brave; 

Ever in thine own good way; Make me know that thou canst save; 

Teach me to be pure and true; Keep me safe by thy dear side; 

Show me what I ought to do. Let me in thy love abide. 

Leader: Our Father, who art in heaven, thou who art perfect in strength, 
we as little children would be strong. Show us the way. Give us strength to 
be always truthful and obedient and unselfish. May we have no fear of 
darkness or of evil, because we love thee, our Father, and we are the children 
of thy care. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

93 



94 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song 



Brooks down the mountain side 

Rush with a song, 
Seeking the rivers wide 

Where they belong; 
Flowing increasingly, 

Growing unceasingly, 
Down to the mighty sea — 

Splendid and strong ! 



(For music see p. 40) 
So are our human lives, 

Starting like rills ! 
Swiftly the current strives 

Down from the hills. 
Wider each hour to be, 
Fuller each power to be, 
Till God's eternity 
Life's course fulfils. 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 76. 

(For music see p. 228) 
Song Text- 
Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, 
In thee, O God; 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee, 
In whose heart are thy ways. 



March Song and Offering 



(For words and music see p. 205) 



Lesson Story — 

This story has been cut in such a way as to leave the last impression 
upon the child that of joy and of appreciation of the courage of the boy and 
his confidence in his father's skill and loving care. Be careful to tell it in 
such a way as to emphasize these points. For these grades the story should 
be more simply worded in many places. 

While not so remote from the modern child's experience as the David 
story, this story should be supplemented in the group period by material 
contemporary with the experience of pupil and teacher. 



WILLIAM TELL 

This version of the story of William Tell is adapted from the story in Famous Legends 
Adapted for Children, by Emmeline G. Crommelin, by special permission of the Century Co., 
New York. 

Switzerland is a small but very beautiful country, with snow-capped mountains, deep 
valleys, and picturesque lakes. Its people are strong, proud, and brave, and very fond of 
their country. The peasants spend much of their time in caring for the flocks and herds, 
or hunting the wild chamois or goat that dwells among the ice-cliffs of the Alps. The skins 
of these little animals are so valuable that a hunter oftens risks his life in pursuing them 



ANOTHER BRAVE BOY 



95 



from cliff to cliff. The Swiss love to tell the story of their hero, William Tell, who, it is 
said, made his country free. 

Many hundred years ago, Switzerland was conquered and ruled by strangers from 
across the mountains, who sent a man named Gessler to rule the people. 

This man was a cruel tyrant who ruled unjustly — in fact, he made slaves of the Swiss. 
He built many fortresses throughout the country, and filled them with soldiers in order to 
frighten the proud people into submission. But even then he could not make them bow 
down to him as he wished. This made him angry, and he thought of another way to torment 
them. He set up a pole in the market-place, where the peasants came to sell their game, 
butter, and cheese, and buy what they needed for their mountain homes. On this pole 
Gessler placed his hat as a. sign of his power. Then he commanded that every Swiss man, 
woman, and child who passed by the pole should bow to the hat to show their respect for 
him. The people had been growing more and more indignant at the way their rights were 
being taken from them, and were eager and ready to find some way of gaining their freedom. 

One night, not long after this, William Tell returned to his mountain home, near 
Altorf, very sad and unhappy. His wife, knowing there was something the matter, said: 

"There is sadness in your voice and trouble in your face. Will you not trust me with 
the cause of it ?" 

"You know, my loving wife," said Tell, "the sad state of slavery to which this unhappy 
country of Switzerland is reduced by the unjust oppression of our foreign rulers." 

"Yes," replied his wife; "but what have peasants to do with these matters?" 

"Much indeed," answered Tell; "if the good laws made for the comfort and pro- 
tection of all ranks of people, all the old customs which were the pride and glory of our 
land, are set aside by strangers, then it is the duty of peasants as well as nobles to defend 
their rights. I have joined myself with thirty-three of my countrymen to find a way to 
free our land." 

"It would be impossible for thirty-three men to oppose the power that rules Switzer- 
land," said Tell's wife, turning pale at the thought. "Gessler cares nothing for what 
peasants think. What has he done now?" 

"He has found a way to tell the freeman from the slave throughout the country, by 
erecting a pole in the market-place, on which he has placed his hat, and commanded every 
Swiss man, woman, and child to bow before it, or meet their death. Do you think I would 
stoop to such a thing, and bear the name of Swiss?" said Tell. 

"No," answered his wife; "I know you will never submit to that. But do not go 
to Altorf, my husband." 

"My business calls me there," Tell replied, "whither I shall go like an honest man 
and do my duty. I shall be neither a slave nor a coward, my good wife." 

There was a fair at Altorf, where men went from all the country round to sell their 
goods. William Tell had risen early that morning, and had gone there to sell his chamois- 
skins and make some purchases for his wife and children. He had taken with him his 
little son, and together they crossed the market-place and stood directly opposite the spot 
where the pole had been erected. Tell never bent his head, but stood as proud and as 
straight as ever. The soldiers who had been stationed there by Gessler to make the people 
obey, stopped the bold hunter of the mountains and reminded him of the punishment for 
not showing respect to the hat. 



96 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Gessler's spies, who had been watching Tell, told the tyrant of his defiance. At once 
he commanded the Swiss to be brought before him, and he came, leading his little son by 
the hand. 

"You are a skilful archer, they tell me," said the tyrant; "the most skilful in all 
this country. You shall give me proof of this wonderful skill, and thus have one chance of 
saving your life, which you forfeited by disobeying my command. No doubt your boy is 
made of the same stuff as you are. Let him stand a hundred paces, yonder. Then place an 
apple on his head, and if you can shoot an arrow so truly as to cut the apple in two, your 
life is spared. But if you either slay the child or miss the apple, you lose your life instantly." 

"Cruel tyrant," cried the distracted father, as he drew two arrows from his quiver, 
"do you think I would try to save my own life by risking that of my child ?" 

"You shall either shoot the arrow or die," replied Gessler; "it is my command." 

"My choice is already made," said Tell, letting the bow fall from his hands; "let 
me die." 

"But the child shall be slain before your eyes, traitor, if you will not shoot at him." 

In despair, Tell asked for his bow once more. 

Then two servants of Gessler led the lad away a hundred paces, and placed an apple 
on his head. They had some pity left in their hearts for the father, and so, as he had 
requested, they made the boy stand with his back to him. 

A great crowd had gathered around the linden-tree beneath which the child was 
bound. The people turned pale with fear, as Tell's lips moved in prayer, and the dreadful 
silence was broken by the archer's clear voice, as it rang out: "Face this way, my boy." 

The child turned instantly, and faced his father, his arms hanging straight and motion- 
less, his head erect. He saw his father try his bow to see if it were true, and bring the bow- 
string into place — then he shut his eyes. 

The awful stillness was broken once more — this time by the sharp twang of the 
rbow-string, answered by a shout from the crowd: 

"The arrow has cut the apple in two — the boy is safe." 

This was not the end of the tyrant, but years afterward we find William Tell, the 
fearless hunter, lived happily with his family in his mountain home, surrounded by his 
countrymen, with whom he had fought for the freedom of Switzerland. 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: 

Let the period be spent in reviewing the notebooks and getting the chil- 
dren to tell stories about the pictures and texts. Let each one choose the 
story which he likes best. See who can say most of the texts and give in 
this way a general review, keeping it bright and interesting. 

Song — " But the Lord is mindful of his Own." (For words and music see p. 218) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is." (For words and music see p. 242) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XVIII 

XTfoe IRtna anfc tfoe ffiook 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to follow the suggestion of different ethical 
principles relating to conduct, made by preceding lessons, with the suggestion 
that there are rules for conduct, and that one king found his rules for conduct 
in a book. It will easily be seen by glancing forward that the object is to 
lead up to some thought of the book which forms the written basis of the 
Christian religion, and is therefore a book of conduct for the children as they 
grow older. This of course must be done very delicately and have for its 
purpose only the suggestion of an attitude toward the Bible as something of 
use and value. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read II Kings, chap. 22, and 23:1-27, and the Bible Dictionary under 
"Josiah" and "Deuteronomy." Construct for yourself a simple story of 
the occurrences connected with the finding of the book in the temple, and the 
reform of Josiah. It is not necessary to tell the children the exact nature of 
this reform. It was a reform brought about by a new knowledge of rules 
of conduct. The fact that the actual story of the reform has to do more with 
worship than anything else need not be emphasized with the children, but 
rather such fundamental and simple principles as those indicated in the 
passages from Deuteronomy suggested in the story. 

Study also the form of ancient books. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

97 



9 8 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Raise the question of rules. Let the children 
say whether they like rules or not, and give their reasons. Have some rules 
discussed with their value. Perhaps you may lead to the Golden Rule and 
a discussion of it. If possible lead the children to see that rules are helpful, 
that it is always easier if there is someone to tell us just what it is right to do, 
and that a rule will do this. Help them to feel that the hardest moments are 
those in which we do not know what is right and what is wrong, and have no 
one to ask who is wiser than ourselves. Carry the thought to parents who in 
their loving care make for us rules which keep us safe from danger, and in 
peace and happiness with our playfellows. If you prefer use illustrations 
from nature to show how all nature obeys the rules laid down for it, and 
develop this thought through different phenomena of nature. 



Song — 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning 

ray, 
We praise thee with the fading light of day; 
All things that live and move by sea and land 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 



(For music see p. 223) 

Thy nations all are singing, night and day, 
"Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 
By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are!" 
The list'ning earth repeats the song afar. 



Prayer — 

All sing: 



All repeat: 



(For music see p. 234) 



Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 



Dear Father, I come with the morning light, 
To ask thy hand to guide me aright; 
Keep me from sinning, and show to me 
How a little child may be helpful to thee. 



Song — 



Heavenly Father, I would pray 
Come thou near to me, 

Teach me what to do and say, 
How to honor thee. 



(For music see p. 229) 

Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

For a gentle will; 
Help thou me my every task 

Faithful to fulfil. 



THE KING AND THE BOOK 



99 



Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 76. 



Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 

Praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded 

and they were created, 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story— 

Leader: Recall Jesus and the books which he read. Up to this time 
we have thought of them only as stories. Suggest now that there was another 
book which Jesus read and which he studied in school which had a very inter- 
esting history. He had often read the story of how it was found and used. 
Whenever Jesus looked at this book he would recall this wonderful story. 
Would you like to hear the story ? It happened in Jesus' country hundreds of 
years before Jesus lived, when a good young king was the ruler of the people. 
Tell now very simply the story of the repairing of the temple in the time of 
Josiah and the finding of the Book of Law, which is supposed to be a large 
portion of the Book of Deuteronomy. Do not bring too many elements into 
the story, but only such as cleaning the house, finding the book, reading the 
book to the king, the king's grief that he had not had the book during all the 
years of his reign, because it contained rules by which he and his people 
should live, and by which he should govern his kingdom. Describe the 
king's attempt to clear everything out of his kingdom that was not approved 
by the book, and to obey all the rules of the book, and lastly his efforts to teach 
the people all over the land the rules of the book. Suggest that Josiah was a 
young king and try to make the children feel what a great relief and comfort 
it must have been to him to have this book to guide him and to help him to be 
a good king to his people. Raise the question as to whether there was any- 
thing in this book which interested Jesus, and why he had to learn whole 



ioo CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

chapters from it in school. Ask the children if they would like to hear some 
of the things that were in the book. Read to them Deut. 5:16, 17, 19, and 
6:4-9. I wonder if reading this book and learning the rules helped to make 
Jesus strong. Jesus made rules himself when he grew up, but the rule by 
which he lived was the very best of all. Let us sing it. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 241) 

Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, 
Do ye even so unto them. 

Song — (For music see p. 209) 

Praise ye the Father, his love is everlasting; 
Praise ye the Father, let all the earth give thanks to him; 
Honor and glory be unto him forevermore. 
O God of mercy, thy children raise their song to thee. 

Great is the Lord who hath shown his glorious power, 
Who giveth light to the world, and blessing to his people; 
Great is the Lord, who hath given us the victory; 
With love and power he ruleth the world. 
Arise and praise ye the Father. 

Glory to the Father, to the Father everlasting; 

Glory to the Father, who hath made the earth and heaven. 

Loudly let the voices ring; loudly praise our mighty Lord and King; 

Children come before his presence with a song, 

And praise ye the Lord. 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: Show the children in the Bible the Book 
of Deuteronomy and let them ask questions about the story of the morning. 
Tell them about the form of ancient books, the roll, and the material and 
method of writing upon it. Let them examine the scroll upon the new leaf 
and write or print whatever rule or command they each may choose. 

Song — "Father, lead me day by day." (For words and music see p. 204) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON XIX 

U\)c 1bero ant> tbe Bool? 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to suggest the passionate earnestness with which 
some men seek to live aright, and to pursuade other people to do so. It is 
not expected that the children will appreciate this fully, but it will suggest to 
them the importance and dignity of right conduct and of devotion to it. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read Jer., chaps.; 7-10; 14; 18; 19; 20; 26; 35; 36; 37; 38. This seems 
a large amount of material, but it will repay you for the work. Construct 
from the contents of these chapters a brief and graphic story of the life of 
Jeremiah with its hardships, its perils, and its hair-breath escapes. Be 
careful to keep this story so simple as not to be above the plane of the child- 
ren's interest. Read also in the Bible Dictionary the article on " Jeremiah." 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let the children recall some of the rules about 
which they talked last Sunday, especially the Golden Rule, and raise questions 
as to how they would go to work to make other people obey those rules. 
Suggest various ways (let them also suggest), such as publishing them in a 
newspaper, teaching in the schools, printing in books. Lead to the thought of 
some sacrifice in order to teach, if one were really very anxious to have people 
know about the rules. What sacrifices would the children be willing to make 
to carry such news ? This thought can only be suggested. 



102 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 229) 

Heavenly Father, I would pray, Blessed Jesus, I would ask 
Come thou near to me, For a gentle will; 

Teach me what to do and say, Help thou me my every task 
How to honor thee. Faithful to fulfil. 

Prayer — 

Leader: O our Father, we thank thee that thou hast given us such plain 
rules to guide us. Help us to remember more and more of them as we grow 
older, and especially let us never forget to love thee with all our hearts and to 
love all thy children, our neighbors, better than we love ourselves. Help us 
to remember Jesus' great rule also. For his sake we ask it. Amen. 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 76. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 241) 

Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, 
Do ye even so unto them. 

Song — (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the angels mild, 
God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry child: 
Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; 
Watches ev'ry footstep with a father's care. 

With a father's kindness gives him daily bread, 
Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 
Tell all little children of this Father true; 
Who will ne'er forsake them if his will they do. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall again Jesus and the book of rules. Remind the children 
that you yourself read from the same book of rules and that you found that 
book in the Bible. How interesting that the very book which Jesus read and 
the book which had such a wonderful history is now a part of our own Bible 
where we can learn rules for conduct just such as Jesus learned. 

Recall to the children again the various ways in which news is circulated 
in this country. How easy it is to read in the newspaper all over the world on 



THE HERO AND THE BOOK 103 

the same day something which was said or done in a certain place. Suppose 
that a very important book should be found in these days as the book was 
found in King Josiah's time. What would happen ? Would it all be printed 
in the newspaper the next day and would everybody all over ihe country 
know about it, and would the preachers on Sunday all over the world preach 
about it, and so millions of people all at once learn the rules by which they 
should live ? How was it in Jesus' day ? Recall to the children very briefly 
how books were made in Jesus' day — written by hand on skins and rolled. 
If possible have a model of an ancient roll to show them. Suggest that the old 
book or roll about which we have been hearing was found five hundred years 
before Jesus' day, and the men who made it a business to copy books were 
few, so that the rolls were very, very few. How would King Josiah 
manage to get the news of that book all around the country, and to 
make people acquainted with the rules, so that they could live in the 
right way? The only way was to send men around each with a copy 
and let them read the book to the people. It would take a long time 
to make many copies, so that there would be just a few men and they must 
travel up and down the land, reading the book to little groups of 
people. There was one man, the story of whose life interested Jesus 
more than almost any other. It was one of the men to whom Josiah gave 
the task of teaching the people all over the country the rules of the book that 
was found. His name was Jeremiah. Would you like to hear the story of 
his life, how King Josiah died, how brave Jeremiah was, and how the people 
did not want to hear the book? They liked to live in the way they were 
living and did not want to change. They liked to lie, and steal, and be cruel 
to the poor, and worship images instead of God. Tell here the story of 
Jeremiah which you have constructed, laying the emphasis upon the courage 
and devotion of Jeremiah, never giving up his purpose, but through all diffi- 
culties and amid perils and hardships teaching everywhere, "Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart and him only shalt thou serve." 

Raise the question, As Jesus read over and over again this story about 



104 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Jeremiah did he say to himself, " Jeremiah knew so much more about God 
than all the people and loved God so much that he just had to teach them 
about God. When I grow up I shall teach the people what / know about 
God, and how he loves them. I wonder if Jesus did do the things when he 
became a man that he thought he wanted to do when he was a boy. 

Song — (For music see p. 218) 

But the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 
But the Lord is mindful of his own; 

The Lord remembers his children, 
Remembers his children. 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Bow down before him ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Yea, the Lord is mindful of his own 

He remembers his children. 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children discuss their favorite 
books. Try to draw their attention to the differences in value between a 
story which teaches something — courage, love, thoughtfulness — and a story 
which teaches nothing. Let them name their favorite stories. Then raise 
the question whether Jeremiah's story would be interesting to read, and show 
them bits of it in the Bible, reading verses from the more exciting parts of it. 
If they wish to do so let them add the story of Jeremiah to the list of their 
favorite stories. Call their attention to the fact that the story of Jeremiah is 
a whole book of the Bible, and suggest that some day they will be able to read 
it all for themselves. Give them the page with the verses from Deuteronomy 
upon it. Tell them about the way in which it was probably bound upon the 
arm of Jesus and the boys of his time, and fastened to the door posts. 

Raise the question as to whether they could remember a rule better if it 
was bound upon their arms, the Golden Rule, for instance. Suggest that prac- 
tice keeps people from forgetting. Illustrate in any way which occurs to you. 



THE HERO AND THE BOOK 105 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 

Praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded 

and they were created, 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XX 

Out Booft, a 1bero 5tot£ 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lead the children from the story of the value 
set upon a book in the remote past, to the realization of our own book of con- 
duct for which as great sacrifices have been made in modern times as in ancient. 
The children are too young to appreciate the Bible or to use it to any extent, 
but they have already begun to feel that the Bible is in some way peculiar, and 
it is well to give through this lesson and the two preceding it some content to 
their impression, letting the Bible stand to them as a book of conduct which 
will help them in the years to come. When they come to use it they will be 
interested in it as a story-book, but just now it may stand for the rule-book 
and so gain some intelligent as well as respectful attention without detracting 
from its interest to them in the future. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read all that you can about the lives of the translators of the English 
Bible. The following books are helpful: 

Histories of the English Bible, by Moulton, Pattison, Stoughton, and 
Westcott and Price, The Ancestry of our English Bible. If none of these are 
available read in an encyclopedia under Wyckliff, Tyndale, Coverdale, and 
others of the translators. 

Put yourself into the political and social atmosphere of the times of the 
Reformation and give your story of this day color not found in the bare 
history. If you can find a good story of a child in some of the stories of the 
Huguenots or of the days of the Reformation in England which presents the 
picture of the care which was taken to conceal the Bible because it was so 
precious, it will perhaps have a better effect than the story of the grown man 

1 06 



OUR BOOK, A HERO STORY 107 

outlined below, the point being to enhance the value of the Bible in the minds 
of the children. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty" (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

The conversation for this lesson is not suggested since it may best arise 
out of local conditions and also depends somewhat upon the story for the day 
which you finally choose. 

Song — (For music see p. 217) 

Can a little child like me, For the fruit upon the tree, 

Thank the Father fittingly ? For the birds that sing of thee, 

Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, For the earth in beauty drest, 

Patient, kind in all you do; Father, mother, and the rest; 

Love the Lord, and do your part; For thy precious, loving care, 

Learn to say with all your heart: For thy bounty everywhere, 

Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee ! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 

For the sunshine warm and bright. For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child may do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son, 
(Chorus) (Chorus) 

Prayer — 

All: Dear Father, we are grateful to thee for the book which thou hast 
given us, the book which tells us so much about thee, and about Jesus' life 
upon this earth. Help us as we grow older to study and to read it with glad- 
ness, and perhaps, if we are able, to bear the message of the book to those who 
do not know it. In Jesus' name. Amen. 



108 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 204) 

Father, lead me day by day, When in danger, make me brave; 

Ever in thine own good way, Make me know that thou canst save; 

Teach me to be pure and true; Keep me safe by thy dear side; 

Show me what I ought to do. Let me in thy love abide. 

When I'm tempted to do wrong, 
Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 
And when all alone I stand, 
Shield me with thy mighty hand. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 76. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 
Praise the name of the Lord, 
For He commanded and they were 

created, 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story— 

Leader and Children: See if anyone in the room can tell you anything 
which was in the book that King Josiah found and that Jeremiah tried so 
hard to tell about. ("Thou shalt love," etc.) Call attention again to the 
fact that this is printed in your Bible and that you are reading from it. How 
strange that the book which Josiah found and Jeremiah taught about should 
be in our Bible. If Jeremiah were living today would he still be trying to 
tell people what was in our Bible. Perhaps there have been other people 
since Jeremiah's time, not so many hundred years ago, who have tried as hard 
as Jeremiah tried to make known what was in the Bible. 

A story easy of access for this day would be the story of John Eliot, the 
Boston minister, who in the days of the early colonists conceived the idea 
of christianizing the Indians. At the cost of great labor and pains he preached 
to large numbers of them and translated the Bible into the tongue of the 
Massachusetts tribe. Some story of his life can be found in the public library, 



OUR BOOK, A HERO STORY 109 

and the location of the scene of his labors in our country will give added 
interests to the perils and hardships which he endured, for the sake of making 
known the contents of our Bible. If material for this cannot be easily 
found, select any of the heroes of the Reformation, of which there were many. 
Get the facts and then use your imagination in making your story. No one 
should be teaching children who has not a good historic imagination, but no 
one need despair of cultivating such a gift by reading and practice. 

Song — (For music see p. 218) 

But the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 
But the Lord is mindful of his own: 

The Lord remembers his children, 
Remembers his children. 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Yea, the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children color the edges and 
binding of the book and print upon it the title, copying from your own 
Bible. Then let each child name to you the text which he likes best from 
all those which he knows. Let him write this upon the book, when you 
have found it for him in a Bible. 

Song- 
Suggesting that our song texts are from the Bible; let the children 
sing as many as they wish. 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Praise ye the Father" (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



SERIES V 

JESUS TEACHING ABOUT THE POWER OF THE HEAVENLY 

FATHER 

orientation: the sea of GALILEE 

Between the lessons of Series 3 and 4 lies the transition of thought 
from Jesus as a boy to Jesus as a man. It is important here that 
the child should definitely feel that the man Jesus is the same person as 
the boy, and that the things that entered into him as a boy are the things which 
make him the kind of man that he is. The gentle, courageous, thoughtful, 
helpful boy, with his sense of close relationship to God, and understanding of 
God, has developed into the wonderful man with whom the children are to 
be associated in their work the remainder of the year. For this reason it will 
always be helpful to go back now and then to the boyhood days, to review the 
stories and especially the home life of Jesus. The question of the power of 
Jesus, and his miracles, becomes now the question of how great and powerful 
a man can be who is closely in touch with the Heavenly Father, as was 
Jesus. Whatever questions concerning the miracles may arise in the mind 
of the child later, the supreme ethical importance of Jesus will overshadow 
these wonderful acts if rightly presented and hold its sway in the life of 
the growing youth. 

The Sea of Galilee is chosen as the orientation for these stories because of 
the variety of manifestations which could be located there, and because the 
children can easily picture in their minds a great body of water like the sea. 
Additional reality is given to the stories because of this repeated reference to a 
natural object of which they have some conception or experience. 



THE GREAT DOCTOR IN THE CITY BY THE SEA in 

LESSON XXI 

Qhe Great Doctor in tbe Citp b£ tbe Sea 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to show Jesus a man, the great doctor demon- 
strating his close relation to God by the use of his highest spiritual powers, 
thus commanding the admiration of the children and stimulating their own 
ambition to come into closer relationship with God. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read in the Bible Dictionary articles on the "Sea of Galilee," and the 
"City of Capernaum," to get local coloring. Note that in the time of Jesus 
the city was probably a nourishing social and commercial center, near to the 
sea, where possibly a large fishing industry was carried on. The city was 
beautiful and is said to have been one of the summer homes of Herod the 
tetrarch or governor. 

For the events of your story it will be necessary for you to use your imag- 
ination to fill out details, but read Mark i : 21 — 2 : 14. There are suggestions 
here for many stories ; only one can be chosen, but the rest will assist in giving 
material for a vivid descriptive background. Study and think over these 
accounts until you have a clear impression of the scenes suggested, of the 
streets in the old city, the many different kinds of people coming to Jesus 
with their ailments and their sorrows, going away each time healed in body 
and refreshed in spirit. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Direct the conversation to the boys especially, 
letting them suggest what they would like to do when they are grown men — 



112 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



what business or profession they would like to follow. The girls may 
say what they would like their brothers to be. Let the impression be left 
with the children that the best thing to be is something which helps people 
to be happier and better, and so makes the whole world a better place to live in. 



Song— 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning 

ray, 
We praise thee with the fading light of day; 
All things that live and move by sea and land 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Prayer — (Repeat, do not sing) — 

Heavenly Father, I would pray, 
Come thou near to me, 

Teach me what to do and say, 
How to honor thee. 

Song — 

Can you count the stars that brightly 
Twinkle in the midnight sky ? 

Can you count the clouds so lightly 
O'er the meadows floating by ? 

God the Lord doth mark their number, 

With his eyes that never slumber. 
He hath made them every one. 



(For music see p. 223) 

Thy nations all are singing night and day, 
"Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 
By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are I" 
The list'ning earth repeats the song afar. 



Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

For a gentle will; 
Help thou me my every task 

Faithful to fulfil. 

(For music see p. 239) 

Do you know how many children 

Rise each morning, blithe and gay ? 

Can you count the little voices, 
Singing sweetly day by day ? 

God hears all the little voices, 

In their pretty songs rejoices. 
He doth love them, every one. 



Text Exercise — 

New texts appropriate to this series are : 

Eph. 6: 10: Be strong in the Lord. 

Matt. 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart. 

John 16:33: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 

Rom. 12 : 21: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

John 10:11: I am the good shepherd. 

John 10: 14: I know my own, and my own know me. 



March Song and Offering- 
Lesson Story— 



(For words and music see p. 205) 



Leader: Raise the question as to whether any of the children have 



THE GREAT DOCTOR IN THE CITY BY THE SEA 113 

seen the sea, the ocean, a great lake, or a large body of water of any kind. 
Suggest to them the beautiful Sea of Galilee and a visit there for several Sun- 
days. Suggest very briefly the boats, the fishermen, the dancing waves, the 
blue color, and the fresh breezes, and then a beautiful city upon a cliff above the 
shore with its costly palaces and its humble homes, its thronged streets, the 
merchants coming and going, the camels, the donkeys, the bright clothing, the 
chattering of the bargainers, and so on. 

Recall now to the children the long time they have spent with Jesus as a 
boy, and suggest that we are going to see what kind of a man he became. 
We know that almost always boys who are strong and courageous and earnest 
and intelligent make especially fine men. We wonder if Jesus was as great 
a man as we should have expected him to be from our acquaintance with him 
as a boy. Remind the children that one of the most wonderful things about 
Jesus was his feeling that God was like a father, who loved the people in the 
world and longed to have everybody love him. Raise the question if people 
think a great deal about a person and admire that person very much, are they 
likely to become something like the person, and if Jesus thought about God 
a great deal and considered him very wonderful, would he perhaps become 
something like God himself ? Jesus, when he became a man, lived in the city 
by the sea, the beautiful, rich, gay city by the sea. What did he do there ? Give 
here your graphic picture of the Great Physician from Mark, chaps. 1 and 
2. Fill it with life and color and your own intense sympathy and joy in the ex- 
periences of Jesus, renewing health, banishing disease, uplifting heavy hearts, 
and as a climax give the story of Mark 2: 1-12. In giving this latter story, 
do not lay any emphasis upon the relative positions of forgiveness of sins and 
the healing of the body in it. This is a question beyond the grasp of the little 
children. Make your story live as a story of a great physician restoring to 
health a hopeless invalid. Bear in mind that with so young children you are 
trying to make impressions, not to teach theology or history,and the impression 
which you desire to make here is of the great, kind, helpful, sympathetic spirit 
of Jesus acting with a power like God's upon all who come to him for help. 



H4 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 240) 

When morning gilds the skies, Whene'er the sweet church bell 

My heart awaking cries Peals over hill and dell 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Alike at work and pray'r, O, hark to what it sings, 

To Jesus I repair; As joyously it rings, 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children tell you all that they can 
of Jesus' deeds of healing. Perhaps some will remember other stories of 
great cures wrought by him. Perhaps you will wish to do this yourself. 
Suggest that we would like to have something to remind us of the great Healer. 
Give out the pages and let the children construct the picture with crayon and 
paste. Give poem assigned. 

Song — " But the Lord is mindful of his own." (For words and music see p. 218) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — "Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXII 

XTbe Great H>as of ffisbfng 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is further to impress upon the minds of the children 
the picture of Jesus as a man of power, but at the same time a man of purpose 
and one commanding admiration, not only for his wonderful deeds, but still 
more for his great desire to help people by teaching them what God was like. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall to your mind again the Sea of Galilee with all its surroundings, 
the local color, the cities, the fishing industry, the great variety of inhabitants, 
soldiers, citizens following the court of the king, who was a Roman subject, 
and at the other extreme the humble people engaged in daily toil. Through 
this lesson your thought will rest chiefly upon the simple scenes along the shore 
and among the fishermen. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song— u Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Discuss with the children some things which they 
know about animals, the instinct of protection of their young, and their 
knowledge of how to take care of themselves, what food to eat, etc. Raise 
the question, Who taught them all these things ? Was it God ? Why did he 
take such pains to teach such little things as birds and bees ? 



n6 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 215) 

I think, when I read that sweet story of old, I wish that his hands had been place on 

When Jesus was here among men, my head, [me, 

How he called little children as lambs to his That his arms had been thrown around 

fold, And that I might have seen his kind looks 

I should like to have been with them when he said, 

then. "Let the little ones come unto me." 

Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go, 

And ask for a share in his love; 
And if I earnestly seek him below, 

I shall see him and hear him above, 
In that beautiful place he is gone to prepare 

For all who are washed and forgiven; 
And many dear children are gathering there, 
"For of such is the kingdom of heaven." 
Prayer — {Repeat, do not sing.) 

Heavenly Father, I would pray, Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

Come thou near to me, For a gentle will; 

Teach me what to do and say, Help thou me my every task 

How to honor thee. Faithful to fulfil. 

Song — (For music see p. 204) 

Thou that once on mother's knee Be beside me in the light, 

Wert a little one like me, Close beside me all the night; 

When I wake or go to bed, Make me gentle, kind, and true, 

Lay thy hand about my head; Do what mother bids me do; 

Let me feel thee very near, Help and cheer me when I fret, 

Jesus Christ, my Savior dear. And forgive, when I forget. 

Thou art near me when I pray, 
Though thou art so far away; 
Thou my little hymn wilt hear, 
Jesus Christ, my Savior dear; 
Thou that once on mother's knee, 
Wert a little one like me. 
Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 112. 

Song Text — ( For music see p- 2I2 ) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 
Praise the name of the Lord, 
For he commanded and they 

were created, 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 



THE GREAT DAY OF FISHING 117 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story— 

Leader: Recall to the children the sea, the city by the sea, and Jesus who 
lived there. Raise the question as to whether they would like to take a walk 
today along the shore of that sea. Suggest that in the days when Jesus lived 
people did not know that God loved all the world. Jesus was the only man 
who knew it. We have seen how patient and kind and loving Jesus was. Do 
you think that he too would love all the people in the world and want to teach 
them how much God loved them ? But how could he do it ? He was only 
one man. Perhaps he could teach a few people and then get them to teach 
others, but then Jesus was a poor man. Jesus had no fine house, he had no 
money to pay people to come and learn what he had to say. How would he 
ever get people to learn from him about God and then go and teach the world ? 
Perhaps Jesus was thinking about these things on the day that we are to walk 
with him along the shore. I wonder what he would see. Let us think how 
many things he could see as he walked along. Picture now the scene as vividly 
as you can, the boats, the fishermen, perhaps a calm, the people along the 
shore taking care of the fish, selling it, perhaps cooking it, the men mending 
their nets and getting ready to launch their boats. . Raise the question as to 
whether Jesus would be likely to walk alone along the sea when he had be- 
come so famous as a great physician. Perhaps there would be people following 
him, although it was the early morning. Let us stop with Jesus for a moment 
while he talks with a little group of men as they wash their nets on the sand. 
Not far from the shore there are two boats riding at anchor. He must have 
asked them if he could use one of their boats, for the story tells us that he 
got into one of the boats and from there taught all the people who had been 
crowding about him on the beach. They sat on the sand, the men and women 
and the children, and listened while Jesus told them his wonderful story about 
how God loved the world and cared for them all. But by and by he 
was tired of talking. Tell now the story in Luke 5 : 4-10. What do you sup- 



n8 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

pose these fishermen thought about Jesus then ? Do you think that if Jesus 
said, " Come with me and help me teach the world," that they would wait one 
minute? Would you have waited a minute if you had been one of those 
fishermen ? Well, neither did the fishermen. They left all, boats and nets 
and all the fishes, and followed Jesus. Their names were Peter and James and 
John, and all the rest of Jesus' life these three men were his very best friends. 

Song — (For music see p. 240) 

When morning gilds the skies, Whene'er the sweet church bell 

My heart awaking cries, Peals over hill and dell 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Alike at work and pray'r O, hark to what it sings, 

To Jesus I repair; As joyously it rings; 

May Jesus Christ be praised I May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Try to give the children some notion of 
what it meant to Peter and James and John to follow a wandering teacher 
about the land. If they are old enough to comprehend it suggest another 
way in which we today speak of following a man, that is believing in his words 
and acting upon them. 

When their interest is sufficiently aroused give them the new page and 
let them illuminate this text to suit their own fancy. 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is." (For words and music see p. 242) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " The birthday of a King." (For words and music see p. 231) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XXIII 

Ube Winfcs anfc tbe Maters ©bep 1bim 



AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is again to command the admiration of the children 
for Jesus, and to remind them of his close relation to God, and his wonderful 
acts interpreting God to his friends and to the world. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Put yourself again into the atmosphere of the life of Jesus, with its great 
purpose to convey the message of the love of God to the world, not only by 
word but by illustration, and again place yourself by the Sea of Galilee and 
recall the surroundings and happenings there. 

Read especially Luke 8 : 19-25 and Mark 4 : 35-41, containing a suggestion 
of the all-inclusiveness of the love of Jesus, of his heavy labors and weariness, 
and of his great power over nature. Remember that this lesson as well as the 
preceding one contains a story which may have been idealized by the friends 
of Jesus, but whose thought of Jesus must have been permeated by an over- 
powering sense of his command of nature and life. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — "Praise ye the Father" (For words and music see p. 209) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Suggest the power of God over nature as manifested 
especially in the great phenomena of nature, keeping the seas within bounds, 
holding the rivers to their courses, bringing the rain to moisten the earth, the 

119 



120 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



winds to purify the air. Perhaps some recent storm has aroused the interest 
of the children. Contrast the frailty of man before* such phenomena, with 
the power of God. Raise the question, Suppose that men knew more about 
God, and the way in which he creates and controls the forces of nature, could 
they help to control these forces? If the older children have anything to 
suggest let them do so, but only for a moment. This is to be the chief thought 
of the group work. 



Song- 



(For music see p. 222) 



We plough the fields and scatter 

The good seed o'er the land; 
But it is fed and watered 

By God's almighty hand. 
He sends the snow in winter, 

The warmth to swell the grain, 
The breezes and the sunshine, 

And sweet, refreshing rain. 

Chorus: 

All good gifts around us 

Are sent from heaven above. 
Then thank the Lord, 

Oh, thank the Lord for all his love. 



He only is the maker, 

Of all things near and far; 
He paints the wayside flower 

He lights the ev'ning star; 
The winds and waves obey him 

By him the birds are fed; 
Much more to us, his children, 

He gives our daily bread. 
(Chorus) 



We thank thee, then, O Father, 

For all things bright and good, 
The seed-time and the harvest, 

Our life, our health, our food; 
Accept the gifts we offer, 

For all thy love imparts, 
And what thou most desirest, 

Our humble, thankful hearts. 
(Chorus) 



Prayer — (Teacher leading children, phrase by phrase.) 

O our Father, we want to know more about thee. We want to have our 
eyes open that we may see thee work. We want to help thee. O Father, 
teach us how to help thee work, and help us to grow stronger and wiser 
and better every day. For Jesus' sake, we ask it. Amen. 



THE WINDS AND THE WATERS OBEY HIM 



Song- 



Heavenly Father, I would pray, 
Come thou near to me, 

Teach me what to do and say, 
How to honor thee. 



(For music see p. 229) 

Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

For a gentle will; 
Help thou me my every task 

Faithful to fulfil. 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 112. 



Song Text- 



(For music see p. 212) 
Praise the name of the Lord, 
Praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded 

and they were created; 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 



Song— 



Thou that once on mother's knee 
Wert a little one like me, 
When I wake or go to bed, 
Lay thy hand about my head; 
Let me feel thee very near, 
Jesus Christ, my Savior dear. 



(For music see p. 204) 

Be beside me in the light, 
Close beside me all the night; 
Make me gentle, kind, and true, 
Do what mother bids me do; 
Help and cheer me when I fret, 
And forgive, when I forget. 



Thou art near me when I pray, 
Though thou art so far away; 
Thou my little hymn wilt hear, 
Jesus Christ, my Savior dear; 
Thou that once on mother's knee, 
Wert a little one like me. 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Carry the children again back to the Sea of Galilee and along 
the shore, and as you watch the boats coming and going and all the scenes of 
busy life, recall to them a day in the life of Jesus when he had been teaching 
many hours. " Was Jesus tired of the people, and did he think, ' Oh how I 
hate these people ! I wish they would stay away' ? Let us see what he said. 
'All the people who listen to what I say about God and what he wants them to 
do, and try to do it, all these people are like my mother and my brothers, they 
are so dear to me.' But did Jesus never get tired, just tired in body and in 



122 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

mind ? This was one of the days when he was very, very tired. ' ' Continue now 
with the story of the experience of Jesus and the disciples on the stormy sea, 
contained in Luke 8:22-25, expanding it carefully, not fantastically, and 
in as dignified a manner as possible. " What would you have thought about 
Jesus if you had been there ? These were his friends who were with him in 
the boat. How great to be the friends of such a man, to know him, to talk 
with him, to see his wonderful deeds, and to feel that he really loved them. 
But Jesus afterward said these words, ' Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever 
I command you.' Let us say them together." 

Song — (For music see p. 240) 

When morning gilds the skies, Whene'er the sweet church bell 

My heart awaking cries, Peals over hill and dell, 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Alike at work and pray'r, O, hark to what it sings, 

To Jesus I repair; As joyously it rings, 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Group Work 

Selecting the phenomena of the wind and the storm, with the thunder 
and lightning, give the children a glimpse of what has come to pass 
because men have learned something about how God works. The wind 
carrying ships and balloons, the lightning teaching us about electricity. 
Guide the children as they think of and put down on the new page all the ways 
in which man has learned to control and to use the powers of nature. With 
the very little children select just one very simple phenomenon, but let the older 
children think more widely. 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is." (For words and music see p. 242) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Can a little child like me ? " (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXIV 

Sesus' Call to Xife 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to compel still further the admiration of the 
children for Jesus, this time in his power over human life. Here as before the 
purpose must, however, be to relate that power to Jesus' great sympathy and 
love, and his desire to demonstrate the loving character of God, the Father. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall again Capernaum by the sea. Read in the Bible Dictionary 
under " Synagogue," and note the position of the ruler of the synagogue in the 
community, the respect which he would command, the style in which he would 
live, etc. Read Mark 5:21-24, 35-43 and Matt. 9:18-27. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty" (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Introduce a nature theme in which life seems to 
come from death, thus introducing the subject of death to the children in the 
form of a promise of life rather than with any thought of the end of life. Sug- 
gest God back of it all, giving life and more life as things pass from stage to 
stage. 

Song — " But the Lord is mindful of his own." (For music see p. 218) 

123 



124 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children: 

Heavenly Father, I would pray Blessed Jesus I would ask, 

Come thou near to me. For a gentle will; 

Teach me what to do and say, Help thou me my every task 
How to honor thee. Faithful to fulfil. 

Song — (For music see p. 249) 

God sends his bright spring sun God sends his love to us, 

To melt the ice and snow, To make our goodness grow. 

To start the green leaf buds, Let us be sweet like flow'rs, 
And make the flowers grow. That in the garden blow. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 112. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 247) 

Suffer the little children to come unto me, 

And forbid them not, 

For of such is the kingdom of heaven. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Carry the children back again to the city by the sea and let them 
walk with Jesus through the streets where he is so well known, and where he 
can scarcely go without meeting someone who is seeking him, someone sick, 
or in trouble, who wants to be cured or comforted. Raise the question as to 
what seems to us to be the greatest trouble which people can have, for instance 
a father or mother. Might it be the death of a child, of a son or a daughter ? 
It is very hard for father and mother then to understand that the life is 
going on just the same, somewhere in God's presence, and they are filled 
with sorrow because they themselves can no longer see the dear child. 

Tell now the story of the grief which had come into the home of Jairus 
making it a vivid picture before the children. Then relate the story of his 
coming to Jesus. Picture the strong sympathy of Jesus and his desire to 
comfort the father and the mother. Recall that Jesus had already healed 
many, many diseases which people all about him thought could not be healed. 
Remember that he had already felt that in himself, with his great love for, 



JESUS' CALL TO LIFE 125 

and understanding of God, and his desire to teach about him, was also 
something of the power of God. He knew that he was able to keep the little 
girl's life upon earth and that to do so would show his great love for these 
people. Should he bring back this life that seemed to have gone and so make 
happy again the father and the mother ? What did he say to Jairus ? Then 
tell the rest of the story as simply and forcefully as you can. How great 
to know so much about God and to live so close to him that one could 
share in his power. Give out poem. 

Song — (For music see p. 215) 

I think, when I read that sweet story of old, I wish that his hands had been placed on 

When Jesus was here among men, my head, [me, 

How he called little children as lambs to That his arms had been thrown around 

his fold, And that I might have seen his kind looks 

I should like to have been with them then. when he said, 

"Let the little ones come unto me." 

Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go, 

And ask for a share in his love; 
And if I earnestly seek him below , 

I shall see him and hear him above, 
In that beautiful place he is gone to prepare 

For all who are washed and forgiven: 
And many dear children are gathering there, 

"For of such is the kingdom of heaven." 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children recall the story by 
filling in the blanks. You can help them to fill in the words from the Bible, 
and they will have an added interest in the fact that the story can be read 
from the Bible. Those who cannot print may dictate while you fill in for 
them. 

Song — " When the earth wakes up in gladness." (For words and music see p. 243) 
Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils- 
Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



SERIES VI 

SOME THINGS WHICH JESUS SAID ABOUT THE LOVE AND 
CARE OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER 

orientation: the fields 
This group of lessons more fully than any preceding one is drawn from 
things relating to Nature. This is done partly because the lessons fall in the 
spring season, when the attention of the children can so easily be directed to 
wonderful phenomena of awakening Nature, and second, because the Easter 
season occurs in this group. Since we are still to have a number of lessons 
in which we shall be with Jesus in our thought, it would be incongruous to 
introduce on Easter Sunday the story of his resurrection, which must of course 
carry with it the story of his death. We must therefore in this series depend 
upon Nature for our Easter lesson. This series also gives us an opportunity 
to introduce Jesus in a new environment, that of the fields and the wide 
out-of-doors. 

LESSON XXV 

Zhe %\\y jfielfcs 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to emphasize the loving care of God for his 
children the flowers, which although springing up for a few days only, are 
clothed in garments of the most exquisite color and texture, performing their 
mission of beauty and delight and scattering seed for the future. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read I Kings, chaps. 3 and 4, which gives something of an idea of the 
glories of the reign of Solomon, and also 7:1-12. Picture to yourself the 

126 



THE LILY FIELDS 1 27 

gorgeousness of life at Solomon's court, the color, the extravagance, the gaiety. 
Then read Matt., chap. 6. Two of the lessons in this series have their basis 
in this chapter. In this lesson the emphasis will be upon vss. 28-34. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " When the earth wakes up in gladness" (For words and music see p. 243) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: At this season of the year it would be very inter- 
esting to the children to bring to the class each week new flowers which they 
can talk about and learn to recognize, discussing the habits of the flowers, 
their beauty, the homes which they like best, the mission which they have to 
perform, and if possible some special flower which through its location has 
been a special minister of happiness to someone. 

Song — (For music see p. 245) 

The little flowers came from the ground, 

At Easter time, at Easter time, 
They raised their heads and looked around 

At happy Easter time. 
And then each little bud did say, 

"Good people, bless this holy day, 
For Christ is ris'n, the angels say, 

This holy, holy Easter Day." 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children: (repeat, line by line, as a prayer.) 

Loving Jesus, meek and mild, 
Look upon a little child, 
Make me gentle as thou art, 
Come and live within my heart. 
Take my childish hand in thine, 
Guide these little feet of mine; 
So shall all my happy days, 
Sing their pleasant song of praise. 



128 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 

Praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded 

and they were created; 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine forever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house for ever. 

Text Exercise — 

The following are new texts from which appropriate selections may be 
made: 

Matt. 5:7: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

Matt. 6: 26, 28, 29: Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they 
reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much 
more value than they ? 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, 
yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Mark 10:14: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for to 
such belongeth the kingdom of God. 

John 11:26: Whosoever liveth, and believeth on me, shall never die. 

John 14:6a: I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

John 14: 19c: Because I live, ye shall live also. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 213) 

The year's at the spring 
And day's at the morn, 

Morning's at seven, 
The hill-side's dew-pearl'd; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn; 

God's in his heav'n — 
All's right with the world. 



THE LILY FIELDS 129 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall to the children the fact that it is some time since we have 
talked about the stories which Jesus read and heard when he was a boy. Let 
the children name some of those stories and talk about them, telling which 
they like best. Suggest that Jesus often thought when he was a boy about 
the kings of his country, and when he became a man he thought still 
more about the kings because some people said that he ought to be king. 
One day they even tried to make him say that he would be king. It seems 
as if that would have been fine, but Jesus did not think so. He knew that 
his country was not strong enough or big enough to have a king all its own, 
and he remembered how many of the old kings had fought hard to keep the 
country, but could not. He knew that if he was king he would have no chance 
to go about among the poor and the sick and the lonely and to teach all day, 
day after day, about the love of the Heavenly Father, so he said, " No, I will 
not be your king. I will go on with my teaching." Perhaps sometimes the 
thought of the great King Solomon came into his mind. Shall I tell you 
about King Solomon ? Give here a word picture of the great King Solomon 
and his court. Emphasize the richness and magnificence of it. (Make this 
the main feature of the lesson story.) " Do you suppose that Jesus who was 
a poor man and gave all his time to teaching and to wandering about the 
country, talking, walking, day after day, ever thought how fine it would be to 
be like King Solomon? Jesus and his disciples often walked through the 
fields where there were lilies. You should have seen those lilies, hundreds of 
them, red, bright, and nodding their heads as Jesus and his disciples passed 
them by. I think that they stopped to pick some and to talk about their 
beauty, just as we do when we take a walk. Jesus' friends thought it very 
strange that he did not want to be a king and did not long to be rich and 
think it hard to be poor. This is what he said one day. He was thinking 
about the beautiful lilies. 'Why do you feel anxious about what you will 



i3° 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



wear ? Look at the lilies. They do not worry. They just spring up and 
send out their beautiful blossoms, and look at them ! Not even King Solomon 
in all his glory had so beautiful a garment as these. Don't you believe that 
if God the Father puts such beautiful clothing upon a little flower that is 
here today and tomorrow withers and dies, he will give you what is necessary ? 
Does he not care more for you than for the flower, you who have a long life 
to live and can do great good in the world ? ' I wonder what the friends of 
Jesus thought then. I wonder if God thinks more of us than he does of these 
flowers, yet even they are beautiful and they have all that they need. Surely 
then, God the Father will take care of us and give us what he thinks we need." 
(This story needs expansion, but it can best be done to suit local conditions.) 



Song- 
All is bright and cheerful round us, 

All above is soft and blue; 
Spring at last hath come and found us, 

Spring and all its pleasures, too; 
Ev'ry flower is full of gladness, 

Dew is bright and buds are gay; 
Earth, with all its sin and sadness, 

Seems a happy place today. 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



(For music see p. 248) 

If the flowers that fade so quickly, 

If a day that ends in night, 
If the skies that clouds so thickly 

Often cover from our sight, 
If they all have so much beauty, 

What must be God's land of rest, 
Where his sons that do their duty, 

After many toils are blest ? 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children have the new page and 
discuss what would be the most beautiful color for the lilies. Suggest that 
the lilies which Jesus saw were probably red. Would this be a good color 
for a king's robe ? Finally let them use their own taste. 

Song — " The birthday of a King." (For words and music see p. 231) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 
Song — "I think when I read that sweet story of old." 

(For words and music see p. 215) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XXVI 

XTbe Easter Storp 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to lead the children to the thought of life ever 
renewing itself in nature and in human history, especially in response to the 
love and care of God and man. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Here again as in previous cases where an outside story was used the chief 
preparation for the day is to get into the spirit of the theme and then to 
thoroughly master the story. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3) . 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Call from the children the many reasons which 
we have for being happy on Easter Day. Let as many children as will contri- 
bute, drawing them into details of sky and sunshine, birds, trees, flowers, life 
coming everywhere out of apparent death, the church, the music, and lastly 
the promise of Jesus, "For lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the 
world." 

Song — (For music see p. 245) 

The little flowers came from the ground, And then each little bud did say, 

At Easter time, at Easter time, "Good people, bless this holy day, 

They raised their heads and looked around, For Christ is ris'n, the angels say, 

At happy Easter time. This holy, holy Easter Day." 

J 3i 



132 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Prayer — 

All: O our Father, we would be happy today, happy because all things 
speak of life and the future! We love thy beautiful world and thee. Help 
us to love and serve all people in the world and so to best serve thee. In 
Jesus' name. Amen. 



Song- 
All is bright and cheerful round us, 

All above is soft and blue; 
Spring at last hath come and found us, 

Spring and all its pleasures, too; 
Ev'ry flower is full of gladness, 

Dew is bright and buds are gay; 
Earth, with all its sin and sadness, 

Seems a happy place today. 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



(For music see p. 248) 

If the flowers that fade so quickly, 

If a day that ends in night, 
If the skies that clouds so thickly 

Often cover from our sight, 
If they all have so much beauty, 

What must be God's land of rest, 
Where his sons that do their duty, 

After many toils are blest ? 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 128. 

Let the text exercise begin with either Ps. 100, or 95 : 1-6, whichever 
the children best know and of which they can feel the spirit. 



Song- 
Christ the Lord is risen today, 

Alleluia, 
Sons of men and angels say, 

Alleluia, 
Raise your joys and triumphs high, 

Alleluia, 
Sing, ye heav'ns, and earth reply, 

Alleluia. Amen. 



(For music see p. 246) 

Hymns of praise then let us sing, 

Alleluia, 
Unto Christ, our heav'nly King, 

Alleluia, 
Who endured the cross and grave, 

Alleluia, 
Sinners to redeem and save, 

Alleluia. Amen. 



Lesson Story — 

This story is in some parts rather above the heads of the children 
and in others too elementary in its form. The idea which it contains and 
the movement of the story can easily be adapted by the teacher to her 
particular class or school. 



THE EASTER STORY 133 

THE WALNUT-TREE THAT WANTED TO BEAR TULIPS 1 

By SARAH E. WILTSE 

Many years ago, when your grandmamma's grandmamma was a little girl, there 
stood a tall young Walnut-Tree in the backyard of a tulip-dealer. 

Now the Walnut thought he had never seen anything so beautiful as the little Tulips 
that were set out in the yard to be kissed by the Sun, who each day paid a visit of an hour 
to the Walnut. 

The wonder is that the Sun did not stay longer to watch the pretty shadow-pictures 
which the Walnut began to make on the grass as soon as the Sun said "good morning." 

Another wonder is, that the great Walnut ever thought of looking down at the dear 
little Tulips, when he might have looked up at the greater Sun. But so he did, and you and 
I will never know the why of a great many things smaller even than that, until we go up 
higher, to be taught by the dear Friend who knows everything. 

However, the Tulips were very lovely, I assure you, with their scarlet and golden 
cups. 

One day a wonderful sister Tulip was brought out. What color was she, do you 
suppose ? 

"Crimson?" 

"No." 

"Purple?" 

"No." 
- I am sure you will not be able to guess, so I will tell you. 

She was black, and she was softer than velvet, and more glossy than satin. 

When the Walnut saw this beautiful Tulip, every little leaf danced in the air for joy, 
and every little branch bent low. You've seen the trees bending to kiss the children and 
the flowers that way, I am sure. 

The Walnut did something else, which I will tell you, if you will promise not to tell 
the Hickory or the Chestnut. He dropped a little leaf at the Tulips' feet, which was written 
all over with a wonderful language that nobody but trees and flowers, birds and bees, and 
perhaps Mr. Tennyson or Mr. Krngsley, could read. 

The Tulip did not seem to care about the leaf or the letter written on it, and we can- 
not tell whether she sent an answer back to the Walnut or not; be that as it may, the Wal- 
nut was not quite so happy after he sent the letter, but he began growing better. 

And do you not think it wiser in our best Friend to make us good instead of happy, 
sometimes ? 

The Walnut used to say after this happened, "I'll bear Tulips myself." 

How would a Walnut-Tree look with Tulips among its leaves ? 

You think that could never, never happen ? We shall see. 

Walnut struck his roots deeper, and spread his branches broader and broader, until 
he was quite wonderful to look upon. Sometimes the Wind used to hear him singing 
something like this, which was set to the most beautiful, rustling little tune you ever heard: 

J By permission of Ginn & Co., from Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks, by 
Sarah E. Wiltse. 



134 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

We'll bear Tulips yet; 

Leaves and I can ne'er forget; 

Roots, be not weary; 

Heart, be thou cheery; 

The blessing may tarry, 

But we'll bear Tulips yet — 

Leaves, roots, and heart, do not forget. 

A hundred years went by, but there were no Tulips among the leaves of the Walnut- 
Tree. A hundred years is a long time for trees to wait, is it not ? We can afford to wait 
longer for some things than can the trees, for we never, never really and truly die. Now 
at the end of the hundred years this Walnut fell to singing another refrain which the years 
had been teaching him: 

I bear no Tulips yet; 
And though I ne'er forget, 
As thou wilt, Master, let it be; 
Tulips or only leaves for me, 

Still I will cheery be; 
Do thou thy will with me; 
Leaves, roots, and heart, I yield to thee. 

This dear Walnut had been very brave and stout-hearted. He had left nothing undone 
which any Walnut-Tree could do, and he had grown very fine in fiber and perfect in form, 
so that one day a wood-carver said, "That perfect tree is just what I want for my work. 
The brave old Walnut was cut down and sawed and chipped; but he did not mind; for 
what do you suppose the wood-carver was making ? 
Black Tulips, to be sure ! 
You never saw any black Tulips ? 

Then I advise you to look sharply at every bit of wood-carving you can find; for 
those very Tulips are somewhere, feeling very happy that they can bloom all the year 
round, while some of the Tulips we know have to sleep half the year at least. 

The tulips carved from the heart of the patient Walnut-Tree adorned the temple 
for which they were fashioned more years than the tree had struggled with the storms of 
its old life. 

The carved petals grew darker with age, and the Walnut's heart became more peace- 
ful with "self-devotion and with self-restraint." On Easter day the altar was adorned with 
living Tulips whose hearts were aflame with life and love; the cup of a splendid black Tulip 
was lifted to touch the dark wood of the carved altar, and the heart of the old Walnut 
throbbed with a divine discontent which was so softened by divine patience that it hardly 
knew it sang: 

Father, I'm waiting yet, 
Hoping thou' It not forget, 
Others I strive to bless, 
Asking no happiness 
But what thou wilt. 
Craven and still I stand 
My life in thy dear hand. 



THE EASTER STORY 135 

Thus it poured out its melody while the people worshiped, and when a misplaced 
candle set fire to the altar draperies, and the great cathedral shriveled and crackled in 
the flames, the Walnut yielded its Tulips to the elements without fear, almost without hope, 
but with an infinite satisfaction in having given itself bravely and uncomplainingly to the 
Father's great plans, which must include a higher happiness for somebody than the heart 
of a Walnut could devise or perhaps even hold. 

The ashes of the Walnut-Tree lay white and ghastly upon the charred earth, the 
dew gathered upon them, and the rain beat them deeper and deeper into the pitiless dust. 
At first they lay in the form of the Tulips, but the wind soon whirled the pale petal-shaped 
mass into pathetic shapelessness, and there lay the heart of the Walnut, forgotten of all 
but the unforgetting Father. 

They yielded themselves now to winter's frost and summer's heat with no will but 
to suffer, and no hope but to bless unknown lives in His way, though only by enriching the 
earth for other blossoms. 

A gardener passed that way, and like the woodman of old, selected that which best 
served his purpose — the self-prepared earth. A tulip bulb was buried in this fruitful soil 
and by the beautiful chemistry of nature the Walnut-Tree found its carved, burned, and 
storm-beaten heart transformed into the living beauty of a magnificent black Tulip. 

Is not this enough — a hundred years of growth, a struggle with storms, and final tall 
beneath the woodman's axe; the sharp instruments of the wood-carver; the adorning of 
the temple; after which the flame and frost; the loss of identity except to the Father; burial 
and final resurrection for one week of bloom in the color and form of a Tulip ? 

Nay, it is not enough, and the bright Tulip lifts its chalice, heart of Tulip answering 
to heart of child: 

" There is no death; there is only change. Live for others while you keep your own 
good purpose unchanged as the unchanging Father's love. Forget selfish aims, yielding 
your life to wiser plans than any you can imagine; and, like the Walnut-Tree, you will 
find at length a joy too deep for any language but that of blooming in sweet and sacred 
silence." 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the teacher have ready some pressed 
spring flowers. These may be given to the children and mounted upon the 
page within the frame, which can be decorated with colors harmonizing with 
the flower. Flower seeds or tiny growing plants should be given to the 
children to take home. They may be cared for until Children's Day in 
June, then returned and after serving as partial decoration for the church 
on that day, distributed to poor, or sick people, if possible, known to the 
children. 



136 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — " God sends his bright Spring sun." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " When the earth wakes up in gladness" (For words and music see p. 243) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XXVII 

Gob's Care of tbe Birfcs 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is again in another realm of life, to remind the 
children through Jesus of the loving care of the Heavenly Father. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

If you can find someone in your vicinity who is a real lover of birds and 
who can give a sufficiently simple and interesting lesson on the habits of the 
birds of the locality, personalizing them to some extent, give the lesson period 
into the hands of such a person and let him occupy the entire time up to about 
five minutes before the group work. In that case your preparation will be 
only the reading of Matt., chap. 6, and special consideration of vss. 26-34. If 
you cannot find such a person, try to prepare yourself as well as you can to 
talk about the common birds which the children can see any day, but may 
not have observed, emphasizing those things in the birds which are the results 
of what we call instinct and which so well illustrate the provision which the 
Heavenly Father has made for these his creatures. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty" (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: If you are in the country with open windows and 
birds are within sound, try to let the children distinguish the bird notes which 
they hear and tell you what the birds are. Discuss the songs of the birds and 
raise the question as to why one bird should sing one kind of a song and one 
bird another. Who is it that has made the birds with their so different 

137 



i38 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



plumage, their different songs, and habits ? 

of God's work. 

Song— 

When the earth wakes up in gladness, 

In the early days of spring, 
And in leaf and flower rejoices, 
Let us sing with heart and voices, 

Praising him, our Lord and King. 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children: 

Father, lead me day by day, 

Ever in thine own good way; 

Teach me to be pure and true; 

Show me what I ought to do. 

When I'm tempted to do wrong, 
Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 
And when all alone I stand, 
Shield me with thy mighty hand. 
Song — 

The year's at the spring, 
The day's at the morn, 

Morning's at seven; 
The hill-side's dew-pearl'd; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn; 

God's in his heav'n — 
All's right with the world. 

Song — 

Christ the Lord is risen today, 

Alleluia, 
Sons of men and angels say, 

Alleluia, 
Raise your joys and triumphs high, 

Alleluia, 
Sing, ye heav'ns, and earth reply, 

Alleluia. Amen. 

Text Exercise 
Song Text- 



Call attention to the perfection 



(For music see p. 243) 

From the long sleep of the winter 

All comes back to life once more, 
And each blade of grass upspringing, 
Joins a mighty chorus singing: 

Lord, we praise thee, and adore. 



When in danger, make me brave; 
Make me know that thou canst save; 
Keep me safe by thy dear side; 
Let me in thy love abide. 



(For music see p. 213) 



(For music see p. 246) 
Hymns of praise then let us sing, 

Alleluia, 
Unto Christ, our heav'nly King, 

Alleluia, 
Who endured the cross and grave, 

Alleluia, 
Sinners to redeem and save, 

Alleluia. Amen. 

For texts appropriate to this series see p. 128. 

(For music see p. 206) 



Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
And thy neighbor as thyself. 



GOD'S CARE OF THE BIRDS 1 39 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Introduce here your speaker if you have one and intend to give 
him the majority of the time. If not, conduct your own talk about the birds, 
but whether you or another presents this portion of the lesson let the closing 
few moments be given to recalling Jesus and his friends walking in the fields 
and talking, as before. Raise the question as to whether Jesus ever noticed 
the birds and what he thought about their beauty, their intelligence, and how 
they knew just what food to get and where to get it. "What did he say to his 
friends when they were wishing they were rich and talking anxiously about 
how to get what they needed to eat and drink and wear ? Do you remember 
what Jesus said about the lilies ? Well, he said something very much like 
that about the birds. He said, 'Behold the birds of the heaven! they need 
grain to eat, but they do not sow it and reap it and put it away, for they know 
that the Heavenly Father will feed them. Do not trouble,' he said, 'about 
saving treasures and taking great care about the future, for are not ye of much 
more value than the birds ? ' He said, ' Do first the things that I command 
you and then God the Father will give you all that he thinks you need. Be 
not anxious for tomorrow for God will take care of tomorrow.' Does God 
sometimes take care of tomorrow for us by getting someone to do the work for 
him?" Suggest the earthly parent who does look forward and provide for 
the future of his child, and let the children feel that God is back of the affection 
of his father and mother and that the two are one in the largest sense. 

Song — (For music see p. 248) 

All is bright and cheerful round us, If the flowers that fade so quickly, 
All above is soft and blue; If a day that ends in night, 

Spring at last hath come and found us, If the skies that clouds so thickly 
Spring and all its pleasures, too; Often cover from our sight, 

Ev'ry flower is full of gladness, If they all have so much beauty, 
Dew is bright and buds are gay; What must be God's land of rest, 

Earth, with all its sin and sadness, Where his sons that do their duty, 
Seems a happy place today. After many toils are blest ? - 

Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Amen. Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Alleluia ! 'Amen. 



140 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Group Work- 
Group Teachers and Children: Let the children continue the talk about 
the birds and decide upon what sort of a bird they will make from the outline 
on the new page. As they work tell them little incidents from your own exper- 
ience with birds and let them tell any experiences which they have had. 

Song — "The little flowers come from the ground" (For words and music see p. 245) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is." (For words and music see p. 242) 

Closing Sentences — . (Seep, n) 



LESSON XXVIII 

Uhc (Boob Sbepberfc 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to keep the children in their thought still out of 
doors and in touch with nature, and to use an illustration which will establish 
a connection between Jesus' boyhood ideals and his present life and thought. 

THE PREPARATION OF LESSON 

Recall and think over again all that you have observed concerning the 
relations between sheep and the shepherd. Read carefully all that Jesus said 
concerning the sheep, the shepherd, and his own likeness to the shepherd. 
This information will be found in the following passages: John 10:1-16; 
Matt. 12:11, 12; 18:12, 13. Study especially Luke 15:3-7, from which 
you must build your story for the day. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let the children talk about sheep and shepherds. 
Try to get those who have seen flocks of sheep to tell the customs of the sheep, 
They will all know about the leader of the flock, which the sheep follow. 
Raise the question in this country as to whether we have shepherds. When 
we see a flock of sheep on the hill-side grazing is there a man and a dog to 
watch ? Why not always ? Discuss with the children the qualities of a good 
shepherd, but do not anticipate your story. Suggest the idea of the pet lamb 
and bring out the affectionate nature of these animals. 

141 



142 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song- 
All is bright and cheerful round us, 

All above is soft and blue; 
Spring at last hath come and found us, 

Spring and all its pleasures, too; 
Ev'ry flower is full of gladness, 

Dew is bright and buds are gay; 
Earth, with all its sin and sadness, 

Seems a happy place today. 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



(For music see p. 248) 

If the flowers that fade so quickly, 

If a day that ends in night, 
If the skies that clouds so quickly 

Often cover from our sight, 
If they all have so much beauty, 

What must be God's land of rest, 
Where his sons that do their duty, 

After many toils are blest ? 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. 



Prayer — 

All (singing softly) 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 

Leader: A few words of simple, appropriate prayer, voicing legitimate 

desires of the children toward God and right living. 

Song — (For music see p. 213) 

The year's at the spring 
And day's at the morn, 

Morning's at seven ; 
The hill-side's dew-pearl' d; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn; . 

God's in his heaven — 
All's right with the world. 

Song — (For music see p. 243) 



When the earth wakes up in gladness, 

In the early days of spring, 
And in leaf and flower rejoices, 
Let us sing with hearts and voices, 
Praising him, our Lord and King. 



(For music see p 

From the long sleep of the winter 
All comes back to life once more, 
And each blade of grass upspringing, 
Joins a mighty chorus singing; 

Lord, we praise thee, and adore. 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 128. 

Song TeXtS — (For music see p. 247, 204) 

Suffer the little children to come unto me, 

And forbid them not, 

For of such is the kingdom of heaven. 
Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 
Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 



THE GOOD SHEPHERD 143 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall to the children the shepherds and the sheep on the hill-side 
near the boyhood home of Jesus, and Jesus going out and talking to the 
shepherds, and listening to their stories. See if the children can remember 
the story which Jesus liked the best and let them repeat it to you. Raise the 
question whether Jesus became a shepherd when he grew up. What was his 
trade ? But did he know a good deal about shepherds ? Read to the chil- 
dren some of the verses from the tenth chapter of John which show what 
Jesus thought about the shepherds, but save the suggestion, U I am the Good 
Shepherd," for your climax later. Tell now, expanding as much as you think 
best without doing violence to the story, the story which Jesus told about the 
Good Shepherd, Luke 15 137. In building up stories from such meager foun- 
dation there is always danger that the story will be fantastic, but on the other 
hand this is such a simple theme that one cannot go far wrong in picturing 
all the details. Study your story carefully and question it until your are sure 
that the picture which you are going to give is a true and forceful one. At the 
close of the story raise the question as to what Jesus meant when he said, " I 
am the Good Shepherd and know my own and my own know me. My sheep 
hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. They shall never perish 
and no one shall snatch them from my hand," and other similar sayings. 
This must be done very skilfully and with great brevity simply as a matter for 
the children to think about and wonder about. 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine for ever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house for ever. 



I 4 4 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song Text — (For music see p. 206) 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
And thy neighbor as thyself. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Give the children the new page and let 
them paste the picture upon it. Give them also the page containing the 
Twenty-third Psalm. Read it over with them and see if they see any connec- 
tion between it and the question raised at the close of the story. Let them 
reread it with you. 

Song — " / think when I ready (For words and music see p. 215) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — (See introduction.) 

Song — "All is bright and cheerful round US." (For words and music see p. 248) 

Closing Sentences— (See p. n) 



LESSON XXIX 

Ube %ost Bo£ 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to emphasize again the love of the earthly parent, 
and to show Jesus interpreting God as the Heavenly Father loving all his 
children and with special tenderness those who have wandered away from 
him. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall all the stories which you have thus far presented in which the 
tenderness of Jesus and his desire to help people have been illustrated. Medi- 
tate upon these until you can feel for yourself the great loving spirit, a perfect 
interpreter of the character of God. Read Luke, chap. 15, in which the three 
stories illustrate particular anxiety for that which is lost, and learn to tell 
clearly and effectively, and without putting in incongruous details, the story 
of the lost son. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — "Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: It will be easy for you to arouse the interest of 
the children by a conversation concerning a lost child. It may be that the 
children have some personal knowledge of such a case. Let the children's 
thought then be directed from the anxiety of the parents to the care of the 
Heavenly Father for the little child and to the joy of the coming home safe to 
the parents. 

145 



146 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song 



Thou that once on mother's knee 
Wert a little one like me, 
When I wake or go to bed, 
Lay thy hand upon my head; 
Let me feel thee very near, 
Jesus Christ, my Savior dear. 



(For music see p. 204) 

Be beside me in the light, 
Close beside me all the night; 
Make me gentle, kind, and true, 
Do what mother bids me do; 
Help and cheer me when I fret, 
And forgive when I forget. 



Thou art near me when I pray, 
Though thou art so far away; 
Thou my little hymn wilt hear, 
Jesus Christ, my Savior dear; 
Thou that once on mother's knee, 
Wert a little one like me. 



Prayer — 

Leader and Children. 



Song 



Song 



All that I today am doing, 
Help me, Lord, to do for thee, 
May I kind and helpful be, 
Only good in others see, 
Try to serve thee faithfully, 
Serve thee faithfully. 



The year's at the spring 
And day's at the morn, 

Morning's at seven; 
The hill -side's dew-pearPd; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn; 

God's in his heav'n — 
All's right with the world. 



(For music see p. 213) 



(For music see p. 243) 



When the earth wakes up in gladness, 

In the early days of spring, 
And in leaf and flower rejoices, 
Let us sing with hearts and voices, 
Praising him, our Lord and King. 



From the long sleep of the winter, 

All comes back to life once more, 
And each blade of grass upspringing, 
Joins a mighty chorus singing: 
Lord we praise thee, and adore. 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this lesson see p. 128. 



THE LOST BOY '147 

Song Text — (For music see p. 244) 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 
So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him; 
Like as a father pitieth his children, 
So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: The story of the Prodigal Son was used in the preceding volume, 
but it is one which cannot be repeated too often. In the previous volume 
it was used to emphasize negatively honor to parents. Here the emphasis 
should be upon the wonderful love of the Father. 

After suggesting to the children that sometimes grown-up children leave 
the home and go far away, no one knowing where nor expecting them to return, 
raise the question as to whether a father would grieve as much for the loss of 
a grown-up son in this way, as at the wandering-away of a little child, whether 
he would try to find the son, whether he would love him just the same. Suggest 
that Jesus knew a story about just such a man and that when he wanted to 
teach people how much God loved everybody he would tell them this story. 
Tell the story contained in Luke 15:11-32. This story is so perfect in form 
that it needs little comment or explanation. Words which may seem strange 
to the children and be misinterpreted may be changed to language perfectly 
clear to them, and some of the quaint expressions modernized. After the 
story the question may be raised as to whether this father was like other fathers, 
and whether the story presents also a true picture of the Heavenly Father. 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray'd, 

Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 

And he is mine forever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house forever. 



148 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children turn to the picture from 
last week's lesson and recall to you the story. Suggest what Jesus said about 
being the Good Shepherd. " Does a Father love his son better than a shepherd 
loves his sheep ? Let the children read with your help the story on the new 
page and answer for you the following questions: (i) Did the boy love his 
father all the time ? (2) Did he have a good time while he was away ? (3) 
Why not ? (4) Did the Father love his boy all the time ? (5) Was he happy 
or sad while his son was away ? (6) Why did not the Father treat the boy 
as badly as the boy had treated him, and so "pay him back" ? 

Let the children now color the frame. 

Song — "But the Lord is mindful of his own." (For words and music see p. 218) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " / think when I read that sweet story of old." (For words and music see p. 215) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. u) 



LESSON XXX 

Gofc provtbtng for Ills 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to carry farther the thought of the love of God 
by calling attention to the fact of his long-ago provision for the human family. 
The children are acquainted with his daily providence and have frequently 
had their attention called to it but many of them have no familiarity with the 
long process by which many common things have been secured to us. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read all that you possibly can on the formation of the coal in the earth. 
You will find help in encyclopedias and science story-books to which you 
will have access in the school or public library. 

If you do not feel equal to weaving this material into a story, call in the 
help of someone from the schools of your neighborhood, someone who is 
accustomed to simplify science for the children. It is an indication of strength 
rather than of weakness when one is willing to turn to a specialist for help 
in such a case as this. If you have a good library in your town, however, 
you will have no difficulty in rinding material sufficient to make an interest- 
ing story for the children. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Raise the question with the children of the storage 
instinct of animals. Let them tell you about the squirrel laying up nuts for 

149 



150 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

the winter, the animals which burrow in the ground carrying their stores with 
them, the receptacles in the hollow trees which provide storage room, etc. 
Supplement their knowledge by your own keeping their thought on provision 
for the future. Raise the question, If God has put into the minds of animals 
this thought of provision for the future, is it not probable that he himself 
provides for the future of those whom he loves, that is, the people in the world ? 

Prayer — 

All repeat: 

For the fruit upon the tree, 
For the birds that sing to thee, 
For the earth in beauty drest, 
Father, mother, and the rest; 
For thy precious, loving care, 
For thy bounty ev'ry where, 
Father in heaven, we thank thee. 

Song — (For music see p. 239) 

Can you count the stars, that brightly 

Twinkle in the midnight sky ? 
Can you count the clouds, so lightly 

O'er the meadows floating by ? 
God, the Lord, doth mark their number, 
With his eyes that never slumber. 

He hath made them, ev'ry one. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

Praise the name of the Lord, 
Praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded 

and they were created; 
Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees 

and all cedars, 
Praise the name of the Lord. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 128. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Present yourself, or through someone else, as simply as possible 
the story of the making and the finding of the coal. If you choose to carry 



GOD PROVIDING FOR US 151 

the story far enough you can show the children what a multitude of products 
are made from the coal. Do not let your story stop with the actual scientific 
facts, but lead the children to feel that all this wonderful process was 
watched over by a loving God, in his providential care for the people who 
should dwell upon the earth which he was preparing for their use. By all 
means start your story by showing the children a piece of coal and letting 
them note its blackness, its hardness, its irregular shape, whether its surface 
be shining or dull. 

Song — (For words and music see p. 218) 

But the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 
But the Lord is mindful of his own; 

The Lord remembers his children, 
Remembers his children. 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Bow down before him, ye mighty, 

For the Lord is near us ! 
Yea, the Lord is mindful of his own, 

He remembers his children. 

Group Work — 

Teacher and Children: Let the children paste on the new page the 
picture representing a lump of coal. Let them illuminate the text around 
it. Talk with them as they work about other ways in which the Lord has 
provided for the people who live in the world. 

Song — " Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is" (For words and music see p. 242) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



SERIES VII 
JESUS TEACHING HOW TO WORSHIP THE FATHER 
orientation: the temple in Jerusalem 
In the preceding series much attention has been given to the love and 
power of the Heavenly Father and to personal qualities such as courage, 
truthfulness, and primary virtues. In this group an effort is made to give 
the children something of the attitude of worship toward the Heavenly 
Father, and to interpret to them the spirit of worship in terms of Jesus' 
thought. Worship is a natural expression of the human heart and to re- 
establish in the thought of the young people the importance of this phase 
of religious expression should be one phase of modern religious education. 
There has been in recent years something of a reaction against emphasis 
upon worship, because of the extreme emphasis which has been laid upon 
doing as over against feeling, but religion can only do its highest work where 
both elements are sanely combined. 

LESSON XXXI 

IKeeping Gob's Ibouse Clean anfc pure 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to show Jesus commanding that the house where 
God is worshiped shall be pure and clean, and consecrated to his worship, and 
to instil in the children a sense of reverence for that portion of the church used 
for the service of worship. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read under "The Temple," and "Worship," in the Bible Dictionary. 
Recall all that you have read or learned concerning both of these, and get 

152 



KEEPING GOD'S HOUSE CLEAN AND PURE 153 

before yourself as complete a picture as possible of the temple and its services 
in the days of Jesus. Edersheim, The Temple and Its Ministry, will help 
you here, as well as Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus. Study the spirit 
of the times in regard to worship, the formality, the lack of connection between 
character and so-called religious acts. Note how the commercial possibilities 
of the continuous sacrifices had crowded through the very gates of the temple, 
and without protest, since the nearness of the materials of sacrifice made more 
convenient the conditions of worship. Read Matt. 21:12-17; Mark 11:15- 
18; Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-22, which may be a duplicate account, 
or another occasion. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Talk with the children about the church, about 
its purpose, its services. Raise the question of the character of God; is he 
good, pure, holy? What do we mean by holy? Perhaps pure and set 
apart for good may be the best definition of holy here. Ought the place 
where we go to think of him, to talk with him and about him to be clean 
and pure and beautiful? Suggest the quiet and reverent attitude of the 
congregation. Suggest that they sing "Holy, holy, holy." 

Song — (For music see p. 208) 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Holy, holy, holy! tho' the darkness hide 

Early in the morning our song shall rise thee, 

to thee; Tho' the eye of sinful man thy glory may 

Holy, holy, holy ! merciful and mighty ! not see, 

Which wert, and art, and evermore Only thou art holy; there is none beside 

shall be. thee 

Perfect in pow'r, in love and purity. 



154 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Prayer — 

All repeat: 

Father, lead me day by day, When in danger, make me brave; 

Ever in thine own good way, Make me know that thou canst save: 

Teach me to be pure and true; Keep me safe by thy dear side; 

Show me what I ought to do. Let me in thy love abide. 

When I'm tempted to do wrong, 

Make me steadfast, wise, and strong; 

And when all alone I stand, 

Shield me with thy mighty hand. 

Song — (For music see p. 223) 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning Thy nations all are singing night and day, 

ray, "Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 

We praise thee with the fading light of day; By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are 1 ' 

All things that live and move by sea and The list'ning earth repeats the song afar 

land 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Text Exercise — New texts from which appropriate selections for this series 
may be made are: 

Matt. 4: 10b: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 
Matt. 6 : 8b: Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 
John 4: 24: God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and 
in truth. 

Ps. 96:9a: Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 

Song — (For music see p. 213) 

The year's at the spring 
And day's at the morn, 

Morning's at seven ; 
The hill-side's dew-pearl'd; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn; 

God's in his heav'n — 
All's right with the world. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall to the children that we are Sunday after Sunday trying 
to find out what Jesus as a man thought about things, about God, about people, 



KEEPING GOD'S HOUSE CLEAN AND PURE 155 

about birds, and flowers, and animals, about the sea and the fields and the 
sky. Now we are going to talk about what Jesus thought about God's house, 
because if he knew so much about God he must have known how best to 
worship God. Recall that in Jesus' day there was just one great house of 
God in Jerusalem, and let the children tell you about Jesus going there when 
he was a boy. When they have told you all that they can about the temple 
as they remember it, supplement all that they have said by your own descrip- 
tions, until you have before them a vivid picture of the grandeur of the 
temple, its ceremonies, choirs, and all its glories. Detailed accuracy is not 
what you desire here but an impression of splendor and glory. Against this 
picture place that of the haggling merchants in the very courts of the temple, 
the money-changers, the bargaining, the shouting, and the total lack of 
reverence for the house of God or feeling of the spirit of worship. Picture 
Jesus coming into this situation and tell the story which you have prepared. 
Let the children feel the thrill of wrath and disgust as you describe his action 
in driving out the traffickers from the temple. This story will give the 
children a new conception of Jesus, the man of righteous anger and it will be 
a healthy offset to the many lessons of his love which have preceded this. More 
time than usual may be given to the group work with this lesson since the 
story is very short. 

Song — (For music see p. 200) 

Praise ye the Father, his love is everlasting, 
Praise ye the Father, let all the earth give thanks to him: . 
Honor and glory be unto him forevermore. 
O God of mercy, thy children raise their song to thee. 
Great is the Lord who hath shown his glorious power: 
Who giveth light to the world, and blessings to his people. 
Great is the Lord who hath given us the victory; 
With love and power he ruleth the world. 
Arise and praise ye the Father. 
Glory to the Father, to the Father everlasting; 
Glory to the Father, who hath made the earth and heav'n ; 
Loudly let the voices ring; loudly praise our mighty Lord and King; 
Children come before his presence with a song, 
And praise ye the Lord. 



156 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children talk about their own 
expe iences in attending church. Tell them some of your own childhood 
recollections, and something of the church customs for children among the 
Puritans, the separate seats, two long sermons, no heat except footstoves, 
the tithing-man, etc. Let them feel the comfort and beauty of our modern 
churches, and the joy of the service, so that they may count it a privilege and 
not a task to attend the church service. Finally let them color the text on the 
new page. 

Song — (For words and music see p. 214) 

Introduce this hymn as one which is sung in the church: 
" Nearer, my God, to thee" (first stanza only). 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Closing Sentences— (See p. n) 



LESSON XXXII 

Urue^bearteb Worsbip 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The purpose of this lesson is to lead the children to see the difference 
between sincerity and insincerity, and to teach them to be careful to say what 
they mean, and to mean what they say, in their relations with the Heavenly 
Father, as well as in human relationships. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

It is difficult to find a story which teaches the principle which is the theme 
of this lesson, but it is the background of many chapters in the gospels. 
Look up in a concordance the references to the Pharisees, especially concern- 
ing their customs of worship and read in the Bible Dictionary under the same 
head. Edersheim, In the Days of Jesus, will help you much here. Do not 
miss Luke, chaps, n and 12. Recall that these were the most religious people 
of Jesus' time, that they lived by rule and measure, believing that Jehovah 
was greatly pleased with their punctilious observance of the law. But as a 
class their religion was purely formal and they did not realize that heart 
content was necessary in all true religion. Against this spirit of formal wor- 
ship Jesus hurls his anathemas time and time again. Read until you feel the 
scorn of Jesus, the impetus of his desperate endeavor to penetrate beneath that 
formal exterior to the hearts and consciences of the Pharisees. Study 
especially the theories of the Pharisees concerning the observance of the 
Sabbath. Read Luke 6 : 1-1 1 . 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

157 



158 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. 11 (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let the children discuss the question of meaning 
what they say. Take up their little expressions and find out the meaning of 
them to see if they really mean what the words would indicate. Suggest 
again the idea of saying things by actions, describe some actions and let the 
children interpret what those actions say. Make this entertaining and inter- 
esting. Carry it into the animal world and note how much more sincere the 
expression of animals is than that of some human beings. 

Song — (For music see p. 229) 

Heavenly Father, I would pray, Blessed Jesus, I would ask 
Come thou near to me, For a gentle will; 

Teach me what to do and say, Help thou me my every task 
How to honor thee. Faithful to fulfil. 

Prayer — 

Leader: A few sentences of prayer. Do not, unless you are accustomed 
to public prayer, trust to the moment for the words of this prayer. Remember 
that it is not your own prayer but the aspirations of the children which you 
are voicing for them. Carefully prepare this portion of the service beforehand. 
Ps. 100 — 

Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands, 

Serve Jehovah with gladness: 

Come before his presence with singing. 

Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: 

It is he that hath made us, and we are his; 

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, 

And into his courts with praise; 

Give thanks unto him, and bless his name, 

For Jehovah is good: his loving-kindness endure th forever, 

And his faithfulness unto all generations. 
Song — (For music see p. 213) 

The year's at the spring The lark's on the wing; 

And day's at the morn, The snail's on the thorn; 

Morning's at seven; God's in his heav'n — 

The hillside's dew-pearl'd; All's right with the world. 



TRUE-HEARTED^ WORSHIP 159 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 154. 

Song Texts — (For music see p. 244) 

Like as a father pitieth his children, 
So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him; 
Like as a father pitieth his children, 
So the Lord hath mercy on them that fear him. 
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
And thy neighbor as thyself. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall Jesus and raise the question as to what he would think 
about people saying what they mean. Would he expect them to say what 
they meant, or to say things just beeause they sounded well? Perhaps we 
can find some of the things that Jesus thought about this. Let us see. Give 
now your description of the ideas which the Pharisees had about pleasing 
God. Describe their dress with its religious significance, their customs of 
washings before approaching God in worship, their punctilious regard for the 
Sabbath day. Give here details so that the children can get the impression 
of the peculiar strength of the legal element in the life of these people. Do 
not this time allude to the customs of prayer or of public almsgiving for these 
will enter into later lessons. Then tell (Luke 6:1-11) of Jesus pass- 
ing through the cornfields to the house of prayer. Do not use the allusion 
to David, but give the substance of Jesus' answer without this historical allu- 
sion because it will distract the attention of the children to introduce another 
character here. Use this section simply as an introduction to the main story 
in vss. 6-1 1. Make the story legifmately dramatic by giving it an appropriate 
setting in the synagogue with the people watching and wondering what Jesus 
would do, Jesus himself in the act of reading from the Scripture and teaching, 
and lastly the fury with which the people who saw what Jesus did were filled. 
Let the children understand that this anger was wholly because they believed 
that Jesus in that holy place, the House of Prayer, had done something which 
God would not approve. Who knew God best, Jesus or the Pharisees ? See 



160 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

if the children can formulate what Jesus would say about keeping the 
Sabbath. Repeat with the children the commandment "Remember the 
Sabbath day to keep it holy" taking care that they now have a new content 
to the command. Recall the chief command which these Pharisees had, 
"Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul and 
with all thy might." Did they mean what they said when they talked to 
God of their love for him ? Did God know that they did not mean what 
they said ? 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine for ever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house for ever. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Talk as the children develop from 
initials their new text, trying to give to it all the natural and happy content 
possible. Suggest the attractive features, the Sunday school, the church 
service, the rest, the walks and talks, father at home, mother resting. Is it 
not a good day for thinking and learning about God, and doing something 
special for him ? 

Song— " / think when I read that sweet story of old." (For words and music see p. 215) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXXIII 

Worsbip XTbrougb prater 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to bring to the attention of the children the 
difference between simply saying a prayer, and meaning a prayer, another 
element in the idea of sincerity in worship. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall all that you read in preparation for the last lesson, this time 
especially with reference to the customs of the Pharisees in prayer, public prayer, 
repetitions, character of petitions, etc. Read also concerning the " Publicans " 
in the Bible Dictionary. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader: Raise the question with the children as to what things they ask 
father and mother for and why. Let them discuss the difference between the 
things that father and mother can give and the things which God can give to 
them and to their parents. Do not forget to make a connection with nature 
and the larger world. Call forth from the children an expression of the absurd- 
ity of asking for things which one does not really want. Discuss instances of 
such asking in everyday life. 

161 



162 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



Song — 

Can a little child like me, 
Thank the Father fittingly ? 
Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, 
Patient, kind in all you do; 
Love the Lord, and do your part; 
Learn to say with all your heart: 



(Fo r music see p. 
For the fruit upon the tree, 
For the birds that sing of thee, 
For the earth in beauty drest,' 
Father, mother, and the rest; 
For thy precious, loving care, 
For thy bounty everywhere, 



217) 



Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 



For the sunshine warm and bright, 
For the day and for the night; 
For the lessons of our youth, 
Honor, gratitude, and truth; 
For the love that met us here, 
For the home and for the cheer, 
(Chorus) 

Prayer — 

All (repeat, do not sing) : 
Heavenly Father, I would pray, 

Come thou near to me, 
Teach me what to do and say, 
How to honor thee. 



For our comrades and our plays, 
And our happy holidays; 
For the joyful work and true 
That a little child may do; 
For our lives but just begun; 
For the great gift of thy Son, 
(Chorus) 



Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

For a gentle will; 
Help thou me my every task 

Faithful to fulfil. 



Ps. 95: 1-6— 



All: 



Oh come let us sing unto Jehovah; 

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 

Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

For Jehovah is a great God, 

And a great king above all gods. 

In his hand are the deep places of the earth; 

The heights of the mountains are his also. 

The sea is his and he made it; 

And his hands formed the dry land. 

Oh come let us worship and bow down; 

Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker: 

For he is our God, 

And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. 



WORSHIP THROUGH PRAYER 163 

Song — (For music see p. 209) 

Praise ye the Father, his love is everlasting, 
Praise ye the Father, let all the earth give thanks to him: 
Honor and glory be unto him forevermore. 
O God of mercy, thy children raise their song to thee. 

Great is the Lord who hath shown his glorious power; 
Who giveth light to the world, and blessing to his people. 
Great is the Lord who hath given us the victory; 
With love and power he ruleth the world. 
Arise and praise ye the Father. 

Glory to the Father, to the Father everlasting; 

Glory to the Father, who hath made the earth and heav'n; 

Loudly let the voices ring; loudly praise our mighty Lord and King; 

Children come before his presence with a song, 

And praise ye the Lord. 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 154. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

A new commandment I give unto you, 

that ye love one another, 
As I have loved you, 
As I have loved you, that ye also 

love one another. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall your description of last week and let the children help 
you reproduce the ideas of the Pharisees about worship. This time add the 
description as graphically as you can of the ideas of the Pharisees about pray- 
ing. Describe the public prayers, the repetitious prayers. As illustration 
tell the story of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). Ask the 
children if they would like to know the prayer which Jesus loved to say and 
which he told his friends would be a good prayer for them to say. Give them 
briefly the thought of Matt. 6 : 5-8. Repeat to them the Lord's Prayer. Let 
them discuss with you now other prayers and tell you what prayers they like 
to say. Close with the little couplet in concert several times repeated : 

To say our prayers is not to pray 
Unless we mean the words we say. 



1 64 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Soilg Text — (For music see p. 242) 

He prayeth best who loveth best 

All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 

He made and loveth all. 

Soilg — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid 
And he is mine for ever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house for ever. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children repeat to you the story 
of the Publican and the Pharisee. Give to them the picture and the new 
page upon which to paste it. Study all the details of the picture and their 
significance with the children. When they are satisfied, test them in 
saying the Lord's Prayer which is upon the second sheet to be given them, 
and suggest that they learn it perfectly before next week. 

Song — " / think when I read that sweet story 0} old." (For words and music see p. 215) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Can you COUnt the Stars ? " (For words and music see p. 239) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXXIV 

XTbe Dalue of Gifts 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to emphasize in general the fact that the value 
of a gift lies not in its intrinsic worth but in the spirit which lies back of it. 
The special gifts alluded to in this series are those used in worship, but the 
principle will naturally have a wider application in the mind of the child, 
and will recall the teachings of the Christmas season. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall again all the details that you have learned concerning the temple 
worship, the custom of giving tithes, and of exhibiting one's alms publicly. 
Read all that you can find in the gospels about alms-giving. You will find 
many statements that indicate the customs of the Pharisees in this respect 
and that show the attitude of Jesus toward such public exhibitions of charity. 
The Sermon on the Mount (Matt., chaps. 5-7) has many references of this 
kind, and you will find them scattered all through the gospels. Read the 
story of the widow's gift contained in Mark 12 : 41-44. This selection forms 
the theme of one of the lessons in the preceding volume, and has there the 
same emphasis. If the children have already had that work they will appre- 
ciate all the more a repetition of this beautiful story. In the former presenta- 
tion of this lesson, however, the Christmas spirit was before the children. 
In this series the aim is to relate the thought of giving, to worship. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

165 



166 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Talk with the children about the services of the 
church, in what they consist, what portion of them is interesting. Let them 
together piece out the whole programme of a service. Why do we have a ser- 
vice ? Why do we go to church ? If no one suggests the collection recall that 
each Sunday an offering of money is gathered. What is this for ? What does 
the church do with it ? Why do people give it ? Do they give much or little ? 
Are they giving it to people or are they really giving it to God for his work 
in the world ? Do people give because they have to or because they want to ? 

Song — (For music see p. 223) 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning Thy nations all are singing, night and day, 

ray, " Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 

We praise thee with the fading light of day; By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are !" 

All things that live and move by sea and land The listening earth repeats the song afar. 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children: (Sing first two lines and repeat the rest.) 
Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 
Thy kingdom come. 
Thy will be done 
On earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, 
As we forgive our debtors. 
Lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil, 
For thine is the kingdom, 
The power, and the glory, 
Forever and ever. Amen. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 242) 

He prayeth best who loveth best 

All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 

He made and loveth all. 



THE VALUE OF GIFTS 167 

Song — (For music see p. 217) 

Can a little child like me, For the fruit upon the tree, 

Thank the Father fittingly ? For the birds that sing of thee, 

Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, For the earth in beauty drest, 

Patient, kind in all you do; Father, mother, and the rest; 

Love the Lord, and do your part; For thy precious, loving care, 

Learn to say with all your heart: For thy bounty ev'rywhere, 

Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee! 
Father, we thank thee ! 
Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 

For the sunshine warm and bright, For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child may do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son, 
{Chorus) {Chorus) 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this lesson see p. 154. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 206) 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
And thy neighbor as thyself. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Let the children again recall all that they can concerning the 
services at the temple, the church in Jesus' day, the character of the worship, 
the appearance of the interior, the crowds of worshipers, etc. Raise the 
question as to whether it must not have taken a great deal of money to keep 
the house of God beautiful and bright, and to pay the priests and the singers, 
and to provide all the beautiful altars and things that were necessary in the 
services and the sacrifices. Suggest that there were many poor people in Jesus' 
day as now. Did the great church in Jerusalem do anything for the poor as our 
church does ? People were coming to worship all day long, coming and going, 
coming and going, all the time. Could they take up a collection as we do in our 
church to get money for God's "work ? Then suggest the trumpet-shaped 



1 68 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

receptacles of brass about the walls of the court in which the contributions of all 
were placed, according to the special object to which they wished to contribute 
— the expenses of the temple, the gifts to the poor, the salaries of the priests, 
or whatever they desired. Suggest that Jesus with whom we have traveled 
about so much in the last year often walked in the porches of the temple. He 
came there to worship, and to see the people, and to talk with them, and to 
teach them whenever he was in Jerusalem. We have seen how he drove out the 
money-changers and merchants from the temple courts and we have seen how 
he taught people to pray and to be true in their hearts. Would you like to 
hear a story about what he thought about the gifts that the people brought to 
the temple ? Perhaps you think that he would like best the man who gave the 
largest gift to God's house. Let us see. 

Tell now the story of the widow's gift found in Mark 12 : 41-44. Arouse 
the interest of the children in the widow by starting with her in her home in 
her daily work, poor but with a deep love of God the Father in her heart and a 
strong desire to do all that she could for him. Suggest how many hours she 
would be obliged to work for a very small sum, and how this must buy her bread 
to eat and clothing to wear. Would she have anything left for God's house ? 
Let us stand in the temple with Jesus and see what he saw one day. Picture 
now the moving throng, men, women, rich, poor, travelers, and the citizens of 
Jerusalem in their motley garments, some from one part of the world, some 
from another, each casting into the trumpet-shaped receptacles a gift large 
or small for the service of God in one way or another. Here comes the Phar- 
isee so rich and proud and religious, a woman richly dressed, a priest with his 
white robe, young men, boys such as Jesus remembered himself to have been 
when he visited the temple at twelve years of age, the poor laborer whose 
donkey awaited him outside with its burden, the water-carrier who has set 
down his water-skins without the temple courts, in the midst of the throng 
the poor woman whom we have just been talking about. What could she give ? 
The crowd about looked on with admiration when the Pharisee cast in his 
pieces of gold. What would they say to h£r gift if she has any ? Did their 



THE VALUE OF GIFTS 169 

gifts represent time and hard work and going without things and saving, saving, 
saving, or did they just put their hands in their pockets and pull it out without 
any work at all or any love at all back of it ? Weave all this material in with 
your story showing that what the widow gave was all her living, although it was 
worth but a third of a cent. It was what she might have used to buy her 
supper or her breakfast, but she chose to give it to God. What did Jesus 
think about that woman ? Let us read what he said. Read vss. 43 and 44. I 
wonder if God cares more about our pennies when we work hard to get them 
than he does when we just ask father and mother for them. 

Song — (For music see p. 240) 

When morning gilds the skies, Whene'er the sweet church bell 

My heart awaking cries, Peals over hill and dell 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Alike at work and pray'r, O, hark to what it sings, 

To Jesus I repair; As joyously it rings, 

May Jesus Christ be praised ! May Jesus Christ be praised ! 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children discuss the value of 
the different coins suggestions on the new page — what they would buy, how 
many of the smaller coins it would take to make the larger, etc. Then let them 
examine the list of character qualities on the other half of the page and weigh 
them against the coins on the basis of which God would prefer as our offer- 
ing the money or the attribute. 

Discuss also the relative ease with which they can be given. Most 
children will think the qualities easier to give, but lead them to see that the 
qualities mean care, work, watchfulness. 

Song — " Thou that once On mother's knee. 1 ' (For words and music see p. 204) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " We plough the fields." (For words and music see p. 222) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



SERIES VIII 
JESUS TEACHING THE LAW OF LOVE 
orientation: the houses of friends 
It is the aim of the lessons in this series to carry the thought of the children 
from the love and worship of God to acts which demonstrate the love to one's 
fellow-man, which grows out of love to God. The lessons here as in the pre- 
ceding series present this theme in the teaching of Jesus through things which 
Jesus did and said. 

LESSON XXXV 

Ube XHnloxung TTurns to %ovc 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is by contrast to impress the law of love which is 
to form the ethical background of the following lessons. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Study the story and note that the situation is somewhat remote from the 
experience of the children and needs interpreting to them. They must know 
what a hermit is, how there happened to be hermits and what their general 
point of view of life was as well as their way of living. Give if possible some 
examples of their wonderful endurance. Do not try to tell the story word 
by word as it is in the book but adjust it to your hearers. Master it thoroughly 
and then tell it without reference to the book and with only your hearers in 
mind. You will naturally in so doing interpret to them all that you feel they 
do not understand and bring the whole story within the range of their 
appreciation. 

170 



THE UNLOVING TURNS TO LOVE 1 71 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies" (For words and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Lead the children to consider imaginary situations 
which are the result of lack of love or of appreciation of the principle of loving 
God and one's neighbor. It is best not to suggest this law of love unless the 
children do so, but to lead the children to note the need of it, and to long for 
such a spirit of love as will solve the difficulties which have been presented 
to them. Here as elsewhere take only the simplest illustrations either from 
nature or human life. 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray'd, 
Whose goodness failefch never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine forever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house forever. 

Prayer — 

All: (Sing the first two phrases and repeat the rest.) 
Our Father who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name: 
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done 
On earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread; 
And forgive us our debts 
As we forgive our debtors. 
Lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil. 
For thine is the kingdom, 
The power, and the glory, 
For ever and ever, Amen. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 154. 



172 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

oOng lext — (For music see p. 212) 

A new commandment I give unto you, 

that ye love one another, 
As I have loved you, 
As I have loved you, that ye also 

love one another. 

March Song and Offering — . (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

THE LEGEND OF THE BIRDS' NEST 
From Invisible Links, a volume of stories- by Selma Lagerlos, by permission of Little, 
Brown & Co. 

Hatto the hermit stood in the wilderness and prayed to God. A storm was raging, 
and his long beard and matted hair waved about him like weather-beaten tufts of grass on 
the summit of an old ruin. But he did not push his hair out of his eyes, nor did he tuck 
his beard into his belt, for his arms were uplifted in prayer. Ever since sunrise he had 
raised his gnarled, hairy arms toward heaven, as untiringly a%a tree stretches up its branches 
and he meant to remain standing so till night. He had a great boon to pray for. 

He was a man who had suffered much of the world's anger. He had himself perse- 
cuted and tortured, and persecutions and torture from others had fallen to his share, more 
than his heart could bear. So he went out on the great heath, dug himself a hole in the 
river bank and became a holy man, whose prayers were heard at God's throne. 

Hatto the hermit stood there on the river bank by his hole and prayed the great 
prayer of his life. He prayed God that He should appoint the day of doom for this wicked 
world. He called on the trumpet-blowing angels, who were to proclaim the end of the 
reign of sin. He cried out to the waves of the seas of blood, which were to drown the 
unrighteous. He called on the pestilence, which should fill the churchyards with heaps of 
dead. 

Round about stretched a desert plain. But a little higher up on the river bank 
stood an old willow with a short trunk, which swelled out at the top in a great knob like a 
head, from which new, light-green shoots grew out. Every autumn it was robbed of these 
strong, young branches by the inhabitants of that fuel-less heath. Every spring the tree put 
forth new, soft shoots, and in stormy weather these waved and fluttered about it, just as hair 
and beard fluttered about Hatto the hermit. 

A pair of wagtails, which used to make their nest in the top of the willow's trunk 
among the sprouting branches, had intended to begin their building that very day. But 
among the whipping shoots the birds found no quiet. They came flying with straws and 
root fibers and dried sedges, but they had to turn back with their errand unaccomplished. 
Just then they noticed old Hatto, who called upon God to make the storm seven times more 
violent, so that the nest of the little birds might be swept away and the eagle's eyrie destroyed. 

Of course no one now living can conceive how mossy and dried-up and gnarled and 



THE UNLOVING TURNS TO LOVE 173 

black and unlike a human being such an old plain-dweller could be. The skin was so 
drawn over brow and cheeks, that he looked almost like a death's head, and one saw only 
by a faint gleam in the hollows of the eye-sockets that he was alive. And the dried-up 
muscles of the body gave it no roundness, and the upstretched, naked hands consisted only 
of shapeless bones, covered with shrivelled, hardened, bark -like skin. He wore an old, 
close-fitting, black robe. He was tanned by the sun and black with dirt. His hair and 
beard alone were light, bleached by the rain and sun, until they had become the same 
green-gray color as the under side of the willow leaves. The birds flying about, looking 
for a place to build, took Hatto the hermit for another old willow-tree, checked in its struggles 
toward the sky by axe and saw like the first one. They circled about him many times, 
flew away and came again, took their landmarks, considered his position in regard to the 
birds of prey and winds, found him rather unsatisfactory, but nevertheless decided in his 
favor, because he stood so near to the river and to the tufts of sedge, their larder and store- 
house. One of them shot swift as an arrow down into his upstretched hand and laid his 
root fiber there. 

There was a lull in the storm, so that the root-fiber was not torn instantly away from 
the hand; but in the hermit's prayers there was no pause: "May the Lord come soon to 
destroy this world of corruption, so that man may not have time to heap more sin upon 
himself! May he save the unborn from life ! For the living there is no salvation." 

Then the storm began again, and the little root-fiber fluttered away out of the hermit's 
big, gnarled hand. But the birds came again and tried to wedge the foundation of the new 
home in between the fingers. Suddenly a shapeless and dirty thumb laid itself on the 
straws and held them fast, and four fingers arched themselves so that there was a quiet niche 
to build in. The hermit continued his prayers. 

"Oh Lord, where are the clouds of fire which laid Sodom waste ? When wilt Thou 
let loose the floods which lifted the ark to Ararat's top ? Are not the cups of Thy patience 
emptied and the vials of Thy grace exhausted ? Oh Lord, when wilt Thou rend the heavens 
and come ?" 

And feverish visions of the Day of Doom appeared to Hatto the hermit. The ground 
trembled, the heavens glowed. Across the flaming sky he saw black clouds of flying birds, 
a horde of panic-stricken beasts rushed, roaring and bellowing, past him. But while his 
soul was occupied with these fiery visions, his eyes began to follow the flight of the little 
birds, as they flashed to and fro and with a cheery peep of satisfaction wove a new straw 
into the nest. 

The old man had no thought of moving. He had made a vow to pray without mov- 
ing with uplifted hands all day in order to force the Lord to grant his request. The more 
exhausted his body became, the more vivid visions filled his brain. He heard the walls 
of cities fall and the houses crack. Shrieking, terrified crowds rushed by him, pursued 
by the angels of vengeance and destruction, mighty forms with stern, beautiful faces, wear- 
ing silver coats of mail, riding black horses and swinging scourges, woven of white lightning. 

The little wagtails built and shaped busily all day, and the work progressed rapidly. 
On the tufted heath with its stiff sedges and by the river with its reeds and rushes, there 
was no lack of building material. They had no time for noon siesta nor for evening rest. 
Glowing with eagerness and delight, they flew to and fro, and before night came they had 
almost reached the roof. 



174 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

But before night came, the hermit had begun to watch them more and more. He 
followed them on their journeys; he scolded them when they built foolishly; he was furious 
when the wind disturbed their work; and least of all could he endure that they should take 
any rest. 

Then the sun set, and the birds went to their old sleeping-place in among the rushes. 

Let him who crosses the heath at night bend down until his face comes on a level 
with the tufts of grass, and he will see a strange spectacle outline itself against the western 
sky. Owls with great, round wings skim over the ground, invisible to anyone standing 
upright. Snakes glide about there, lithe, quick, with narrow heads uplifted on swanlike 
necks. Great turtles crawl slowly forward, hares and water-rats flee before preying beasts, 
and a fox bounds after a bat, which is chasing mosquitos by the river. It seems as if every 
tuft has come to life. But through it all the little birds sleep in the waving rushes, secure 
from all harm in that resting-place which no enemy can approach, without the water splash- 
ing or the reeds shaking and waking them. 

When the morning came, the wagtails believed at first that the events of the day before 
had been a beautiful dream. 

They had taken their landmarks and flew straight to their nest, but it was gone. 
They flew searching over the heath and rose up into the air to spy about. There was 
not a trace of nest or tree. At last they lighted on a couple of stones by the river bank and 
considered. They wagged their long tails and cocked their heads on one side. Where had 
the tree and nest gone ? 

But hardly had the sun risen a handsbreadth over the belt of trees on the other bank, 
before their tree came walking and placed itself on the same spot where it had been the day 
before. It was just as black and gnarled as ever and bore their nest on the top of something, 
which must be a dry, upright branch. 

Then the wagtails began to build again, without troubling themselves any more 
about nature's many wonders. 

Hatto the hermit, who drove the little children away from his hold telling them that 
it had been best for them if they had never been born, he who rushed out into the mud to 
hurl curses after the joyous young people who rowed up the stream in pleasure-boats, 
he from whose angry eyes the shepherds on the heath guarded their flocks, did not return 
to his place by the river for the sake of the little birds. He knew that not only has every 
letter in the holy books its hidden, mysterious meaning, but so also has everything which 
God allows to take place in nature. He had thought out the meaning of the wagtails, 
building in his hand. God wished him to remain standing with uplifted arms until the 
birds had raised their brood; and if he should have the power to do that, he would be 
heard. 

But during that day he did not see so many visions of the Day of Doom. Instead, 
he watched the birds more and more eagerly. He saw the nest soon finished. The little 
builders fluttered about it and inspected it. They went after a few bits of lichen from the 
real willow-tree and fastened them on the outside, to fill the place of plaster and paint. 
They brought the finest cotton-grass, and the female wagtail took feathers from her own 
breast and lined the nest. 

The peasants, who feared the baleful power that the hermit's prayers might have at 
the throne of God, used to bring him bread and milk to mitigate his wrath. They came 



THE UNLOVING TURNS TO LOVE 



175 



now too and found him standing motionless, with the bird's nest in his hand. "See how 
the holy man loves the little creatures," they said, and were no longer afraid of him, but 
lifted the bowl of milk to his mouth and put the bread between his lips. When he had 
eaten and drunk, he drove away the people with angry words, but they only smiled at his 
curses. 

His body had long since become the slave of his will. By hunger and blows, by 
praying all day, by waking a week at a time, he had taught it obedience. Now the steel- 
like muscles held his arms uplifted for days and weeks, and when the female wagtail began 
to sit on her eggs and never left the nest, he did not return to his hold even at night. He 
learned to sleep sitting, with upstretched arms. Among the dwellers in the wilderness 
there are many who have done greater things. 

He grew accustomed to the two little, motionless bird-eyes which stared down at him 
over the edge of the nest. He watched for hail and rain, and sheltered the nest as well 
as he could. 

At last one day the female is freed from her duties. Both the birds sit on the edge 
of the nest, wag their tales and consult and look delighted, although the whole nest seems 
to be full of an anxious peeping. After a while they set out on the wildest hunt for midges. 

Midge after midge is caught and brought to whatever it is that is peeping up there 
in his hand. And when the food comes, the peeping is at its loudest. The holy man is 
disturbed in his prayers by that peeping. 

And gently, gently he bends his arm, which has almost lost the power of moving, 
and his little fiery eyes stare down into the nest. 

Never had he seen anything so helplessly ugly and miserable : small, naked bodies, 
with a little thin down, no eyes, no power of flight, nothing really but six big gaping mouths. 

It seemed very strange to him, but he liked them just as they were. Their father 
and mother he had never spared in the general destruction, but when hereafter he called to 
God to ask of him the salvation of the world through its annihilation, he made a silent 
exception of those six helpless ones. 

When the peasant women now brought him food, he no longer thanked them by 
wishing their destruction. Since he was necessary to the little creatures up there, he was 
glad that they did not let him starve to death. 

Soon six round heads were to be seen the whole day long stretching over the edge of 
the nest. Old Hatto's arm sank more and more often to the level of his eyes< He saw the 
feathers push out through the red skin, the eyes open, the bodies round out. Happy inheri- 
tors of the beauty nature has given to flying creatures, they developed quickly in their 
loveliness. 

And during all this time prayers for the great destruction rose more and more hesitat- 
ingly to old Hatto's lips. He thought that he had God's promise, that it should come when 
the little birds were fledged. Now he seemed to be searching for a loop-hole for God the 
Father. For these six little creatures, whom he had sheltered and cherished, he could not 
sacrifice. 

It was another matter before, when he had not had anything that was his own. The 
love for the small and weak, which it has been every little child's mission to teach big danger- 
ous people, came over him and made .him doubtful. 

He sometimes wanted to hurl the whole nest into the river, for he thought that they 



176 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

who die without sorrow or sin are the happy ones. Should he not save them from beasts 
of prey and cold, from hunger, and from life's manifold visitations ? But just as he thought 
this, a sparrow-hawk came swooping down on the nest. Then Hatto seized the marauder 
with his left hand, swung him about his head and hurled him with the strength of wrath 
out into the stream. 

The day came at last when the little birds were ready to fly. One of the wagtails 
was working inside the nest to push the young ones out to the edge, while the other flew 
about, showing them how easy it was, if they only dared to try. And when the young 
ones were obstinate and afraid, both the parents flew about, showing them all their most 
beautiful feats of flight. Beating with their wings, they flew in swooping curves, or rose 
right up like larks or hung motionless in the air with vibrating wings. 

But as the young ones still persist in their obstinacy, Hatto the hermit cannot keep 
from mixing himself up in the matter. He gives them a cautious shove with his finger 
and then it is done. Out they go, fluttering and uncertain, beating the air like bats, sink, 
but rise again, grasp what the art is and make use of it to reach the nest again as quickly 
as possible. Proud and rejoicing, the parents come to them again and old Hatto smiles. 

It is he who gave the final touch after all. 

He is now considering seriously if there could not be any way out of it for our Lord. 

Perhaps, when all was said, God the Father held this earth in his right hand like a 
big bird's nest, and perhaps he had come to cherish love for all those who build and dwell 
there, for all earth's defenseless children. Perhaps he felt pity for those whom he had 
promised to destroy, just as the hermit felt pity for the little birds. 

Of course the hermit's birds were much better than our Lord's people, but he could 
quite understand that God the Father had love for them. 

The next day the bird's nest stood empty, and the bitterness of loneliness filled the 
heart of the hermit. Slowly his arm sank down to his side, and it seemed to him as if all 
nature held its breath to listen for the thunder of the trumpet of Doom. But just then all 
the wagtails came again and lighted on his head and shoulders, for they were not at all 
afraid of him. Then a ray of light shot through old Hatto's confused brain. He had 
lowered his arm, lowered it every day to look at the birds. 

And standing there with all the six young ones fluttering about him, he nodded con- 
tentedly to someone whom he did not see. "I let you off," he said, "I let you off. I 
have not kept my word, so you need not keep yours." 

And it seemed to him as if the mountains ceased to tremble and as if the river laid 
itself down in easy calm in its bed. 

Song — (For music see p. 223) 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning Thy nations all are singing night and day, 

ray, "Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye ! 

We praise thee with the fading light of day; By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are !" 

All things that live and move by sea and land The list'ning earth repeats the song afar. 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Group Work — 

Leader and Children: This is a story which the children will like to talk 



THE UNLOVING TURNS TO LOVE 177 

about. Be ready to answer their questions. Let them color the nest and 
birdlings on the new page leaving with them in talking over the story the 
impression of how only love coming into the heart of the hermit conquered 
him at last. Let them learn the text "Love suffereth long and is kind." 

Song — "I think when I read.^ (For words and music see p. 215) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " Praise ye the Father." (For words and music see p. 209) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXXVI 

H Dinner parts 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

This lesson aims at a very common ethical need of the children, namely, 
the substitution of the law of love for the desire to take the best place, and to be 
the chief participant, in pleasure and sport. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read and study the whole of Luke, chap. 14, which gives such an inter- 
esting picture of Jesus as he moved about among the people, friendly with 
rich and poor, yet holding to his own narrow path of right and justice. Look 
up in the Bible Dictionary, "Feasts" and such words as will help you to get 
a vivid conception of the scenes at the dinner. Recall pictures which you 
have seen and look up others in order to get details of description. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence" (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Talk about parties. Local conditions will guide 
you in adjusting this conversation to the children, the aim being to get the 
children to see that one can only have a good time at a party if all the children 
are unselfish and do not try to secure the best things and the most attention 
for themselves. Let this be an experience meeting for the children. 

178 



A DINNER PARTY 179 

bong — (For music see p. 223) 

We praise thee, Lord, with earliest morning Thy nations all are singing night and day, 

ray, "Glory to thee, the mighty God, for aye! 

We praise thee with the fading light of day; By thee, thro' thee, in thee all beings are!" 

All things that live and move by sea and land The list'ning earth repeats the song afar. 
Forever ready at thy service stand. 

Prayer — 

Leader: " Shall we say together the prayer which Jesus taught us ? " 

All: 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name; 
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done 
On earth as it is in heaven; 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, 
As we forgive our debtors; 
Lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil; 
For thine is the kingdom, 
The power, and the glory, 
For ever and ever, Amen. 

Text Exercise — New texts from which selections appropriate to this series 
may be made are: 

Matt. 5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 

Luke 6:35: Love your enemies. 

John g:$b: I am the light of the world. 

John 13:34: Love one another. 

John 14: 15: If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. 

John 15 : 9: Abide ye in my love. 

John 15 : 12: This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved 

you. 
John 15 : 14: Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 204) 

Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 
Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 



180 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Song — (For music see p. 215) 

I think, when I read that sweet story of old. I wish that his hands had been placed on my 

When Jesus was here among men, head, [me, 

How he called little children as lambs to That his arms had been thrown around 

his fold, And that I might have seen his kind looks 

I should like to have been with them when he sa d, 

then. "Let the little ones come unto me." 

Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go, 

And ask for a share in his love; 
And if I earnestly seek him below, 

I shall see him and hear him above, 
In that beautiful place he is gone to prepare 

For all who are washed and forgiven: 
And many dear children are gathering there, 

"For of such is the kingdom of heaven." 

Lesson Story— 

Leader: Suggest that today we are going to a dinner party with Jesus, 
a dinner party in a rich man's house, one of the Pharisees, and it is Sunday. 
Describe the scene as vividly as you can. Suggest Jesus going about talking 
with the guests before the dinner. Describe the coming-in of the sick man, the 
way in which the people watched Jesus to see what he would do because it 
was Sunday, what Jesus did, and how he explained his act. Describe the 
different people as the dinner began, each one looking to find for himself the 
best seat, among the seats nearest to the host which were considered the 
most honorable. Perhaps it is legitimate in this description to take the example 
of a single man who coming in to the dinner and sitting down at one of the 
chief seats is asked by the host to take a lower place, leaving the one he has 
chosen for someone who is greater than he. Picture Jesus turning to the 
friends near him and saying the words contained in vss. 8-1 1. "Jesus 
then had good manners, had he not ? He knew what it was polite to do, 
but did he do it just because it was polite or because it was really kind ? Did 
he expect people to leave the chief seats for others because in their hearts 
they were kind and unselfish and did not want to take the best things for 
themselves, or just because it was polite ?" 



A DINNER PARTY 181 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine forever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And, so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house forever. 

Group Work — 

Leader and Children: Talk with the children about rules for conduct. 
Lead them to see that we could never have rules for everything. We could 
not remember them. Be explicit, taking up many individual acts counted 
polite or impolite. Note that politeness, good manners and conduct are the 
same thing. See if they can propose some general rules which will do for all 
occasions. Lead them to such expresssions as "God is love," "Love thy neigh- 
bor as thyself," and the Golden Rule. Let them have the new page and read 
the instructions of Jesus, coloring the book with its strings to suit their fancy. 
Give out poem. 

Song — " Can a little child like me ?" (For words and music see p. 217) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON XXXVII 

Dtsittng ffrienfcs 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to show Jesus in the home of his friends on an 
occasion when he enters into the everyday life of the family, suggesting to the 
children the joy and obligations of human friendship, and emphasizing Jesus' 
estimate of the common things of life. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall all the information that you have gained about the oriental house, 
plans of house-keeping, a country village in Palestine, etc. Picture to your- 
self Jesus frequently coming to the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and 
Lazarus in Bethany, talking with them of his work, of his thought of God, and 
of his ideals for the world. Consider whether they had not known him long 
enough to know what he would value in such a visit. Read carefully Luke 
10:38-42. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let your conversation turn on the question of 
friends, going to see friends, having friends visit us. What do we do when 
our friends come to see us ? Do we aim to make them happy or ourselves 
happy by doing the thing that we would like to do without thinking whether 
they like it or not ? Have some little incident which you can tell to illustrate 
your point, something quite within the experience of the children. 

182 



VISITING FRIENDS ) 183 

Song — (For music see p. 228) 

From the bright blue heavens, with the angels mild, 
God, our loving Father, looks on ev'ry child: , ' 

Lovingly he listens to each little pray'r; 
Watches every footstep with a father's care. 
With a father's kindness gives him daily bread, 
Shields from ev'ry danger ev'ry little head; 
Tell all little children of this Father true; 
Who will ne'er forsake them if his will they do. 

Prayer — 

All: (Sing first two lines, repeating the rest.) 

Our Father, who art in heaven 
Hallowed be thy name. 
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done 
On earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread; 
And forgive us our debts 
As we forgive our debtors. 
Lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil. 
For thine is the kingdom, 
The power, and the glory, 
For ever and ever, Amen. 
Song Text — (For music see p. 242) 

He prayeth best who loveth best 

All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 

He made and loveth all. 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 179. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

A new commandment I give unto you, 

that ye love one another, 
As I have loved you, 
As I have loved you, that ye also 

love one another. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Raise the question whether Jesus whom we have seen traveling 



1 84 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

about the country teaching and healing and working continually for the 
Heavenly Father ever had any friends whom he went to visit, just plain people 
whom he enjoyed talking with, doing little things for them, and receiving 
little kindnesses, just as we do with our friends. Suggest that you do not 
now mean the disciples who traveled around with him, but people who lived 
in villages or towns which he visited and who looked forward to his coming 
and welcomed him. Suggest that you know a story about such a place, a 
home in the little village of Bethany, quite near to Jerusalem, where Jesus 
often went to visit. Let us pay a visit there with him today. Let us see if we 
can see the house. Describe now a typical Palestinean house with the inner 
court, the garden, a guest expected, Martha the busy house-keeper making 
her plans which involved elaborate entertainment. Tell now the story found 
in the Luke passage, elaborating it in such a way as to make your picture 
vivid, but not to do violence to the facts. Bring out as you tell it the fact 
that Martha was planning to entertain Jesus in the way which pleased herself, 
thinking that that also would please Jesus. Mary who knew that best of all 
Jesus liked people to listen to his teaching, although possibly quite as anxious 
to entertain him showily, gave up her own idea in the matter, and found her 
joy and satisfaction in listening to Jesus. Suggest very briefly the reason 
why Jesus spoke as he did — the perishable pleasure that comes from eating 
and drinking, as compared with the lasting joy of having beautiful things to 
think about, and of knowing great things about God and about people. 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray' d, 

Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 

And he is mine for ever. And home, rejoicing, brought me. 

And now, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 
Within thy house for ever. 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: Let the children discuss the pleasure of 



VISITING FRIENDS 185 

having people come to see them and ways of entertaining them. Let them 
study the new picture and point out its details, noting the elaborate house, 
and recalling the simplicity of the wants of Jesus. Let them feel the beauty 
of this picture, the strength of the portrait of Jesus, and make the frame a 
fitting one for such a subject. 

Song — " Thou that Once Oft Mother's knee." (For words and music see p. 204) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

•Song — " When morning gilds the skies" (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See P . n) 



LESSON XXXVIII 

Jesus witb tbe /Ifootber of James anfc Jobn 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to call the attention of the children to the right 
attitude toward desire for place and power and to suggest that if one has 
power he is expected to use it for his fellow-men. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Recall Jesus and his relations with his disciples, and read carefully Mark 
10:35-45. Look up in the Bible Dictionary "James," "John," and "King- 
dom of God." 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 
Song — " The earth is hushed in silence." (For words and music see p. 203) 

Informal Conversation— 

Leader and Children: Get the children to express themselves upon the 
question of what they would like to have most, whatever it is. Talk with them 
until you can lead them to the thought that whatever of value one possesses, 
whether it be riches or position, whatever it may be, responsibility increases 
in proportion with one's opportunity. Be careful to make this conversation 
short and very simple. 

Song — " In the little village of Bethlehem.'''' (For music see p. 231) 

In the little village of Bethlehem 'Twas a humble birthplace, but oh! how- 
There lay a child one day, much 

And the sky was bright with a holy light God gave to us that day; 

O'er the place where Jesus lay; From the manger bed, what a path has led, 

Alleluia ! O how the angels sang, What a perfect, holy way ! 

Alleluia! how it rang, Alleluia! O how the angels sang; 

And the sky was bright with a holy light — Alleluia ! how it rang, 

'Twas the birthday of a King. And the sky was bright with a holy light, 

'Twas the birthday of a King. 

186 



JESUS WITH THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOHN 187 

Chorus : 

Alleluia ! O how the angels sang, 

Alleluia! O how the chorus rang, 
And the sky was bright with a holy light, 
'Twas the birthday of a King. 

Prayer — 

Leader and Children: 

Loving Jesus, meek and mild, 
Look upon a little child, 
Make me gentle as thou art, 
Come and live within my heart. 
Take my childish hand in thine, 
Guide these little feet of mine 
So shall all my happy days, 
Sing their pleasant song of praise. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 242) 

He prayeth best who loveth best 

All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all. 
Song — (For music see p. 217) 

Can a little child like me, For the fruit upon the tree, 

Thank the Father fittingly ? For the birds that sing of thee, 

Yes, oh yes ! be good and true, For the earth in beauty drest, 

Patient, kind in all you do; Father, mother, and the rest; 

Love the Lord, and do your part; For thy precious, loving care, 

Learn to say with all your heart: For thy bounty ev'rywhere, 

Chorus: 

Father, we thank thee ! 

Father, we thank thee! 

Father in heaven, we thank thee ! 

For the sunshine warm and bright, For our comrades and our plays, 

For the day and for the night; And our happy holidays; 

For the lessons of our youth, For the joyful work and true 

Honor, gratitude, and truth; That a little child may do; 

For the love that met us here, For our lives but just begun; 

For the home and for the cheer, For the great gift of thy Son, 
{Chorus) {Chorus) 

Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 179. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 



1 88 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Recall to the children the friends of Jesus. Let them tell you 
of occasions when Jesus walked in the fields and talked to the friends who 
traveled about with him. See if they can remember some of the stories of 
these friends by the sea. 

Raise the question as to what they thought about Jesus. They had been 
with him a long time. Did they think he was somebody great ? They had 
seen his wonderful acts and heard his teaching day after day, yet he was not 
rich and he had no beautiful home where he might entertain them. What 
did they think about him and what did they expect of him? Picture here 
very briefly the expectations of the friends of Jesus who believed that he was 
the coming king who would some day set up his kingdom on the earth. Then 
suggest that they were all poor men. What did they expect when Jesus should 
set up this kingdom ? Tell now the story in Mark very simply, eliminating 
all the difficult ideas and representing the sons of Zebedee as coming to Jesus 
with their request for power and place in his new kingdom. Represent Jesus 
as telling them simply that along with the kingdom over which he might rule 
would come sorrow and suffering. Would they be willing to share that with 
him ? All people who have power must use it in serving other people. Who- 
soever would be the first among you must be the servant of all. Let the chil- 
dren recall stories of Jesus where service made him great. If it can be done 
without confusion the notebooks may be referred to to refresh the memories 
of the children. Why was Jesus the greatest man who ever lived? Was it 
not because he served the world better than any man who ever lived ? What 
was the rule of his life? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart and thy neighbor as thyself." Let us sing it. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 212) 

A new commandment I give unto you, 

that ye love one another, 
As I have loved you, 
As I have loved you, that ye also 

love one another. 



JESUS WITH THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOHN 189 

Group Work — 

Group Teachers and Children: If possible have ready a short story 
which betrays the wrong use of power, and contrast this with Jesus' life of 
service. 

Let the children paste the picture of Jesus on the new page and under it 
write the text which they like best from the following : " If any man serve 
me let him follow me," "By love serve one another," "All nations shall serve 
him," "Serve him with a perfect heart." 

Song — " The King of Love my Shepherd is." (For words and music see p. 242) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 420) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XXXIX 

XTbe Xittle /IDan 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is again to show Jesus in his common daily relation- 
ships with people, this time with emphasis upon the cosmopolitan nature of 
his friendships, with a view of leading the children to feel that exclusiveness is 
something opposed to the Christ-like spirit. This may seem at first thought 
an adult conception, but if one has ever watched children at play it will be 
easy to recall the way in which sometimes a child for no apparent reason is 
temporarily boycotted by the rest in a cruel way. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read in the Bible Dictionary under "Publican" and study the attitude 
of the Jewish community toward the publicans, whose duty it was to collect 
the Roman taxes so abhorred by the people. Read also under "Zacchaeus." 
Note that Zacchaeus was a Jew and for that very reason was probably more 
hated as an officer than he would have been had he been a foreigner. We 
can easily understand that the Jews regarded him as in some sense a traitor, 
but we need not necessarily conclude that he was not a man of wisdom and 
judgment. Perhaps he may even have felt that he was doing his country a 
service by helping to administer a hated law in such a way as to avoid rebellion 
and bloodshed. There is much of theological interest and significance in the 
story contained in Luke 19:1-10, but all this must be set aside and the 
story made perfectly simple and direct, the words of Jesus being interpreted 
in terms of the experience of the children. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

190 



THE LITTLE MAN 



191 



Song — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. " (For words and music see p. 208) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: The conversation to precede this lesson should be 
adjusted from local conditions, the point of it being to direct the attention of 
the children to the impartial love of God. Possibly nature will give the best 
illustrations, the flowers in the country garden growing together side by side, 
the stately rose, the humble pansy, the daisy, the sweetwilliam, and many 
others which you can mention, each having its own beauty and its own appeal. 
Many other illustrations will occur to you. If you feel that the love of God 
has already been sufficiently emphasized, do not suggest that but lead the 
children to see and admire the quality of democracy in the people about them. 

Song — (For music see p. 249) 

God sends his bright spring sun God sends his love to us, 

To melt the ice and snow, To make our goodness grow, 

To start the green leaf buds, Let us be sweet like flow' is, 
And make the flowers grow. That in the garden blow. 

Prayer — 

All: (Sing the first two phrases and repeat the rest.) 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name : 
Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done 
On earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread; 
And forgive us our debts 
t As we forgive our debtors. 

Lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil. 
For thine is the kingdom, 
The power, and the glory, 
For ever and ever, Amen. 

Song Texts — (For music see p. 242, 212) 

He prayeth best who loveth best 

All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 

He made and loveth all. 



1 92 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

A new commandment I give unto you, 

that ye love one another, 
As I have loved you, 
As I have loved you, that ye also 

love one another. 

Song — (For music see p. 239) 

Can you count the stars that brightly Do you know how many children 

Twinkle in the midnight sky ? Rise each morning, blithe and gay ? 

Can you count the clouds so lightly Can you count the little voices, 

O'er the meadows floating by ? Singing sweetly day by day ? 

God the Lord doth mark their number, God hears all the little voices, 

With his eyes that never slumber. In their pretty songs rejoices. 

He hath made them every one. He doth love them, every one. 

Text Exercise — For appropriate texts see p. 179. 

Song Text — (For music see p. 204) 

Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 
Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 

March Song and Offering — (For words and music see p. 205) 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Our story today is about a man who because he happened to 
be a little man had a wonderful day in his life. This man lived in the city 
of Jericho, which was very near to Jerusalem where Jesus went so many times. 
He was a man who was hated by many of his neighbors. He was not ugly 
to look at, he was kind and generous, he gave half of all the money that he 
made to the poor. Why did the people hate him ? It was because of his 
business. The people in Jesus' country were all obliged to pay to a great 
king far away in Rome a tax, that is, some money every year, so that that king 
would not come and destroy their country. The people hated to pay this 
money, but it was the only way in which they could have peace in their land, 
for the great king not only did not destroy them himself, but did not allow 
any other nation to come in and destroy them, so that he was in some sense 
their protector, although they hated him. Somebody had to collect this 
money every year from every family, and the old king far away paid some of 



THE LITTLE MAN 193 

the men who lived in Jesus' country to collect the money for him. Now the 
people hated these men who collected the money. They had no right to hate 
them, because somebody had to collect the money, and it was best to have 
some of their own people who understood them and would not be cruel and 
collect more than they ought to. But that made no difference, the collectors 
were hated just the same. Zacchaeus, the little man, was one of these tax- 
collectors, and so his neighbors hated him and said, "He is a sinner. God 
will forget him." So although Zacchaeus was not poor, was not ugly, was 
not cruel, and was not bad in any way, he was hated. 

One day there was a crowd seen coming up the streets of Jericho. Zac- 
chaeus did not know that this was to be the greatest day in his life, and that 
the coming of this crowd was to bring a wonderful joy to him. When he saw 
the people coming he wondered who they were and why they were coming 
all together, and he ran to see, but he could see nothing except the crowd of 
people. Complete now your story from the biblical material. In the conver- 
sation between Zacchaeus and Jesus interpret Jesus' words something like 
this: " Today is a great joy come to your house, Zacchaeus, for I am come 
to bring joy into the world and to teach you and all the world that God loves 
all alike." Did Zacchaeus care then if his neighbors hated him ? They had 
told him that God would forget him, but now he felt sure as he looked at this 
wonderful, kind, gentle face of the Great Teacher that God could never forget 
him, and that it mattered not what other people said to him or about him. 
In telling the story withhold the name of Jesus until the end. Then raise 
the question with the children, " Who was this great teacher who came to see 
Zacchaeus?" 

Song — (For music see p. 215) 

I think, when I read that sweet story of old, I wish that his hands had been placed on 

When Jesus was here among men, my head, [me, 

How he called little children as lambs to his That his arms had been thrown around 

fold, And that I might have seen his kind looks 

I should like to have been with them then . when he said, 

"Let the little ones come unto me." 



1 94 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

Group Work — 

Leader and Children: Let the children have their text at once and then 
talk with them about some ways in which Jesus has brought joy into the world. 
By the use of some specific details contrast the cruelty and barbarism of Jesus' 
day with the peace and safety of our own homes. Let the children work as 
you talk, coloring this last text as beautifully as possible. 

Song — " Joy to the world, the Lord is come." (For words and music see p. 206) 

Birthday Offering and Welcome to New Pupils — 

Song — " When morning gilds the skies." (For words and music see p. 240) 

Closing Sentences — (See p. n) 



LESSON XL 

1Fu tbe Xllpper 1Room 

AIM OF THE LESSON 

The aim of this lesson is to show Jesus in all his beauty of gentleness, 
love, and devotion among his friends in the upper room. To the children 
nothing has been presented in all this course of lessons which would give them 
any sad thought of Jesus. This was intentional and we must not here, even 
in this last evening with his disciples, introduce an element of sadness. For 
this year we wish to keep the thought of the children on the joy, the strength, 
the beauty of the character of Jesus, leaving the hatred with which his life 
was surrounded, for a time when they are more mature, and can better under- 
stand the circumstances. 

PREPARATION OF THE LESSON 

Read John, chaps. 13-17. Picture to yourself the scene in the upper 
room, Jesus surrounded by his friends, speaking to them words of deepest 
love, bidding them farewell, but leaving them with the thought of joy to come 
rather than sorrow at the temporary parting. 

ORDER OF SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON 

Appropriate greeting from the leader; response from the school (see p. 3). 

Song — " When momiflg gilds the skies" (Forewords and music see p. 240) 

Informal Conversation — 

Leader and Children: Let your conversation center about some such 
theme as "when mother goes away" — how she gives parting messages and 

J 95 



196 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



instructions to each child and how she loves and kisses all the children. How 
sad they are, and how glad when they think that mother will come back 
some time and will bring them something fine. Draw from the children 
some of the instructions which she gives. 



Song — 

Joy to the world; the Lord is come! 
Let earth receive her king; 

Let every heart prepare him room, 
And heav'n and nature sing, 
And heav'n and nature sing, 
And heav'n and nature sing. 

Prayer — 

All: (Repeat, do not sing.) 

Heavenly Father, I would pray, 
Come thou near to me, 

Teach me what to do and say, 
How to honor thee. 



(For music see p. 
Joy to the earth; the Savior reigns! 

Let men their songs employ; 
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, 
plains 
Repeat the sounding joy, 
Repeat the sounding joy, 
Repeat the sounding joy. 



Blessed Jesus, I would ask 

For a gentle will; 
Help thou me my every task 

Faithful to fulfil. 



206) 



and 



Text Exercise — For texts appropriate to this series see p. 179. 



Song Text— 



(For music see p. 204) 



Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 
Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you. 



Song — 

I think, when I read that sweet story of old, 

When Jesus was here among men, 
How he called little children as lambs to 
his fold, 
I should like to have been with them 
then. 



(For music see p. 215) 

Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go, 
And ask for a share in his love; 

And if I earnestly seek him below, 
I shall see him and hear him above. 



(For words and music see p. 205) 



March Song and Offering — 

Lesson Story — 

Leader: Suggest that this is to be our last visit with Jesus for the year. 
"It is Jesus' last visit with his friends, too. Jesus was going away. He was 
going to leave his disciples and so when the feast day came around, the feast 



IN THE UPPER ROOM 197 

day when Jesus always went to Jerusalem as he did when he was twelve years 
old, Jesus and his friends were in an upper room in a house in Jerusalem 
having their last feast together. Who were there ? Just the friends of Jesus 
who had traveled up and down the country with him, twelve of them, all men. 
What did they talk about ? Perhaps they talked about the time when Jesus 
would come again; how he would be King; and perhaps they wondered again, 
some of them, which of them would be first when Jesus came back — which 
would be the greatest man next to Jesus in the new kingdom. Do you remem- 
ber that once we talked about that before and do you remember what Jesus 
said to those who wanted to be first ?" Repeat with them the verse from the 
lesson concerning the ambition of James and John. "Whosoever would be 
first shall be servant of all." "This time Jesus was so anxious that they 
should not forget what he had taught them that he showed them something 
about what he meant." Tell very briefly then the story of the washing of the 
disciples' feet, the humble service performed on this last evening by Jesus for 
his friends. Be very careful to keep the story on a dignified plane and to 
emphasize the spirit of service rather than the particular act which is something 
outside of modern experience. " When Jesus had shown the disciples that no 
service was too humble if only it brought comfort to his friends, he talked with 
them and said many beautiful things. Shall we hear some of the things that 
Jesus said to his friends ? He loved them so that he called them 'little children. y 
He said, 'Little children, only a little while I can be with you. I am going 
away where you cannot come now. Remember what I say to you. Love 
one another just as I have loved you, then all men will know that you are 
my friends.' He said, ' I am going to my Father's house where there are many, 
many houses and one is for each of you, and some day you will come where 
I am, because I have told you the way of love, to the Heavenly Father. You 
have known me and you will know the way to come.' Philip said, 'Show us 
the Heavenly Father.' And Jesus said, 'Whoever hath seen me hath seen 
one who is like the Father. Remember my works and do as I have done. 
And whatsoever you ask for my sake, the Heavenly Father will do for you. 



198 CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

You say you have loved me. Then keep my commandments and my Father 
will love you and will send a comforting spirit to you, to teach you, after I 
have gone away. Do not be troubled or anxious, for some day I will come 
again. Ask and ye shall receive and your joy shall be lull. Surely I come 
from the Father and I go to the Father. You shall come also.' " 

"Then Jesus lifted up his eyes toward heaven and prayed the Father 
to bless and keep his dear friends whom he was leaving. He said, 'Oh 
Father, the words which thou hast given to me I have given to these my 
friends, and they know that they are true words and that I came from thee. 
Holy Father, keep these my friends in thy Name. Make their joy full. Teach 
them the truth and give them of the glory which thou art co give to me. Let 
them come to me where I am going.' 

" And so when Jesus had finished talking to his friends they sang a hymn 
together and then they went out into the night, and we do not need to say 
goodbye to Jesus for we know that he said 'Lo! I am with you always, 
even to the end of the world,' and we remember the words that he left 
with his friends, 'Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command 
you;' 'Where I am there ye may be also.' " 

Song — (For music see p. 242) 

The King of Love my Shepherd is, Perverse and foolish, oft I stray'd, 
Whose goodness faileth never; But yet in love he sought me, 

I nothing lack if I am his, And on his shoulder gently laid, 
And he is mine forever. And home, rejoicing, broughc me. 

And, so, through all the length of days, 

Thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

Within thy house forever. 

Group Work— 

Group Teachers and Children: Give the children the new leaf and let 
them read the message of Jesus to his friends — to the children if they will 
fulfil the condition of his friendship, which is simply to live by the law of 



IN THE UPPER ROOM 



199 



love. If time remains let it be spent in going over the books and recalling 
the story which each page represents. 

Song — " Thou that once on mother's knee." (For words and music see p. 204) 

Birthday Offering — 



Song — " The birthday of a King: 
Closing Sentences — 



(For words and music see p. 231) 
(See p. 11) 



SONGS 



THE LORD'S OWN DAY 



Mendelssohn 




The earth is hushed in 

The bells are sweet - ly 

O call of love and 

He cheers the wea - ry 

Come all ye— thank -ful 

P 



si - lence,.Its cares now flee a 

ring - ing, Their clear toned voic - cs 

du - ty! Who would not praise~and 

heart - ed, He shows the heaven -ly 

peo - pie! Why should one soul de 



\H\i p ip p^Pf 



5 



^5 




way ; Let all things bow in 

say; Ye peo - pie come and 

pray, % And thank the Lord of 

way To those who kneel be 

lay To greet the Lord of 



rev 
wor 

Heav 
fore 

Heav 



rence 
ship 

en 
-Him. 

en 



On this the Lords own 

On this the Lords own 

On this His cho - sen 

On this His ho - ly 

On this His ho - ly 



fhr M M p i r,ir >• P i p y$ I 




lay, On 
day, On 



4 a y» 

.day, 
day, 

P 



^m 



On 
On 
On 



this, 
this, 
this, 
this, 
"this, 



mk 



on this, • the 
on this, the 
on. this, His 
on this, His 
on this, His 



Lord's own 

Lord's own 

cho - sen 

ho - ly 

ho - ly 



m 



day! 
day! 
day! 
day! 
day! 



From Fifth Reader, Ed. Mus. Course. Ginn & Co., publishers, by permission. 

203 



204 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



THOU THAT ONCE ON MOTHER'S KNEE 

Francis T. Palgrave Theodore E. Perkins 



Thou that once . on 

Be be - side me 

Thou art near me 



moth-ers knee Wert a lit - tie 

in the light, Close be - side me 

when I pray, Though thou art so 



one like me, 
all the night j 
a - way^ 




When I wake or go to bed, Lay Thy hand a - bout . my head 
Make me gen - tie, kind, and true, Do what moth - er bids me do, 
Thou my lit - tie hymn wilt hear, Jes - us Christ, my Sa - vior dear, 




Let me feel thee ver - y near, Je - sus Christ my Sav - ior dear. 
Help and cheer me when I fret, And for- give when I for - get. 
Thou that once on moth-ers knee Wert a lit - tie one like me. 




Copyright by T. E. Perkins. 



FATHER, LEAD ME 




1. Fa - ther, lead me 

2. When in dan-ger 
8. When I'm tempt-ed 
4i When my heart is 



day by day, 
make me brave; 
to do wrong, 
fulj of glee, 



Ev - er 2 in Thine 
Make me know that. 
Make me stead -fast, 
Help me to re 



own good way; 
Thou canst save; \ 
wise, and strong;' 
mem-ber Thee, 



■>¥ur r"r f i f f f i f f F f i f 'r [,i 



ill 






























— 








-if- 


0-0 






-— * jr 1 




Iw f 


' 


— 




T ' 














Teach nu 
Keep m< 
And whe 
Hap - py 


! tO 

i safe 
n all - 
most 


be 
by 
a - 
of 


pure and 
Thy dear 
-- lone I 
all to 


true; 
side; 
stand, 
know 


Show 
~Let 
Shield 
That 


me 
me 
me 
my 


what I 
in Thy. 
withThy 
Fa - ther 


ought 
love 
might 
loves . 


to do. 

a - bide. 
- y hand, 
.me so. 
















*hJ 










n 




*N 







































SONGS 



205 



FORWARD, CHRISTIAN CHILDREN 

Frank Moore Jeffrey 




Glad your hearts and voic - es, 
Trust-ing Thee to help in. 
Here pledge hearts and voic - es, 



On this hap - py day, 

Ev - ery thing" we doj 

While our lives shall last, 



Je - sus is your 
All kind words and 
Make us Thine own 




Lead - er, In the cause 
ac - tions Thou wilt well re - pay 



of fighT E — -f 



He will 
If we. 



nev - er fail you, 
fol - low close - ly 




For- ward in your might 
In the heaven-ly way 
Af-ter-ward with thee 



r r 

For-ward to the bat 



tie, For the good and 




^ A 




/M 1 ■ j J ■ ■ 






/r\ 


true, 












i i 
Je - sus 


V -* -#■ ~ vtr 4 

is your Cap-tain, He 
J ■ 1 . J ■ ■ 


is 


lead- ing 


you 

I O -n 



Copyright 1899 by Brooklyn S. S. Union. Used by Permission. 



2o6 

Antioch 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

JOY TO THE WORLD Arr. by L. Mason 




Joy to the world; the Lord is eome! Let earth re-ceive her King; 
Joy to the earth the Sav- iour reigns Let men their songs em- ploy 
He rules the world in truth and grace And makes the na - tions prove 




Let ev-ry heart pre-parehim room, And heavn and na - ture sing, 
"While fields'andfloods,rockshills,and plains, Re - peat the sound- ing joy, 
The glo-ries of his righteousness, And won-ders of his love, 



And 
Re- 
And 




heavn and na ture sing, 
peat the sound-ing joy, 
won-ders of his love 



And heaVn and na -ture sing; 
Re - peat the sound-ing* joy.' 
And won-ders of his love. 




sing, And heavhand na -ture sing 

Used by permission of the Century Co. 

SONG TEXT 



M. R.K. 



Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 




v-r j—&=^-* N _f_u. j i j — v^ m 



all thy heart And thy neigh - bor 



thy - $elf. 




Copyright 1909 by The University of Chicago. 



SONGS 
MORNING PRAYER 



207 



Andante 




l,Fath.-_er dear, I fain would thank-Thee For my long, re -fresh -ing 
2. All that I to - day am do - ing, Help me, Lord, to do for 




sleep, And the watch that Thou didst keep, While I slum - bered soft and 
Thee, May I kind and help-ful be, On - ly good' in -oth-ers 




deep, Oer>Thy child so lov - ing 
see, Try to seWe thee iaith • ful 



ly, ~- So . lov - ing - ly. 

ly, Serve thee faith ,~ ful - ly. 




f yy ^ 



Copyright 1901, Silver, Burdett & Co. 



i A 1 -i 1 


SONG TEXT 










-fe 8 r-j§> 'A — 






All things come of Thee, . 


1 vH 1 1 ° 
Lord; and of Thine own have we . giv - en; Thee. A - 


s — ■ 

men. 





\ . f 4 P a\ ? ^^ === ^ ^PZZ 




K 


— ' - h - - 1 F-r ' — ' ° J — 


' &• 1 



208 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 



J. B. Dykes 



<* Q JL 
























t) 




^1 




M 


r-r 


1 r-r 3 = 








1. Ho - ly, 


ho - ly, 


ho - 


iy'— 


Lord God Al - 


might - y! 




2. Ho - ly, 


ho - ly, 


hof - 


iy! — 


all the saints a - 


do re • Thee, 




3. Ho - ly, 


ho - ly, 


ho - 


iy' — 


tho the dark - ness 


hide Thee, 


41- {L 




|- 


T^- 


k-J 


J^J *• e 


-hi . , 


S 














■H* 




1 f — L 








Ear - ly in the 
Cast - ing down their 
Tho the eye of 



morn - ing. our 
gold - en crowns a J 
sin - ful man Thy 



song shall rise to 
round the glass - y 
glo - ry may not 




j n A- 
























V— 


o 

Thee. 

sea, 

see, 

It J 


( 


:h 




£o - 
er - i 
n -*1 


i - bin 
y The 


3 - b 

a an 
>u ar 


J 
d 
t 


r- 

•ho 
ser 
ho 


^1— 


lyi — 

i - phim 

iy; — 


r r ,. 

mer - ci - ful and 

fall - ing down be - 

there is none be - 


V 
















n~ 










migh - ty! Which wert, and art, and__ ev - er more shalt be. 

fore Thee, Which wert, and art; and ev - er more shalt be: 

side Thee, .Per -_fect in powV in love, and pur - i - ty. A - men. 



^ V .Hr\ 



SONGS 
PRAISE YE THE FATHER 



209 
Gounod 




Fath - er, His love is ev- er - last - ing. Praise ye- the 'Fath- er, Let 




all the earth give thanks- to Him! Hon- or and glo - ry Be un- to Him for 




ev-ermore. O God rof mer-cy,Thy chil-dren raise their song_ to Thee. 



2IO 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 




Great _-l is the Lord who hath shown his" glo-rious powr, .Who giv-eth 




2kkj^h Jj-J> h j j-j>h#f=f 




light to the world And bless- ing to His peo .- pie. 




Great is the Lord who hath giv-en us the vie - to- ry! With 




love and powY He rul-eth the world; A - rise andpraise ye the Fath-er! 



fct flff lf »J" H f i f *r Jft 



^^ 



SONGS 



211 




Glo - ry to the Fath - er, to the Fath-er ev - er - last - ing; 




ft r J l>^tf= J Ji JM J tfF ^f 



Glo - ry to the Fath - er who hath made the earth and heav'n! 




■^ [ : P CJ If P Cf 1 Ef CJ* j 1 1 




Loud-'ly let the voi - ces ring. ' LcTud - ly.praise our migh-ty Lord and Kingr 




Chil-dren corner before his pres-ence with a song, and praise ye the Lord! 



212 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

SONG TEXT 



M. R. K. 



Praise the name of the Lord, Praise the name of the 




Lord, for He com-man-ded and they were ere- a -ted, Mountains and all 




hills, Fruitful trees and all ce-dars, Praise the name of the Lord. 




Copyright 1909 by The University of Chicago. 

SONG TEXT 



M. R. K. 



A new ccm-mand-ment I give un-to you, that ye love one an - oth-er, As 



SONGS 



213 



I have loved you, As I have loved you, that ye al - so love one an « oth - er. 




Copyright 1909 by The University of Chicago. 



THE YEAR'S AT THE SPRING 



Robert Browning 



M. R. K. 



The years at the spring, And days at the 




Morn- ing's at sev'n, The Mil- side's dew-pearl'd; The larks on the wing-; The 












s* 










snails on 


the thorn, 


Go( 


i's 


in Hisheav'n Alls 
t 1 ^ 


right 


with th 


e wo 


rid 


t);ft 1 


? Tit 


-4 


1 B c y a m 




1 


r 



Copyright 1909 by The University of Chicago. 



214 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
SONG TEXT 

























M.R.K. 


/k ft t — J N S ^ ~ 1 J !"*1 ^ 7 ~ J=:=:: h~l'~d J j^ ~ - 


itk- 


Ye are my friends 


if 


ye do 


the 


things which Y 

j i i =£ 


com - 


mand 

| 4 ■ 


you 


J 1 ' i ■' J * 


t r 


f 


J ^ r4 


r 


f^ 


7 


4^r~ 






t- -«l H 1 


~d 


I 3 









Ye are my friends if ye do the thing-swhich I com - mand you. 




Copyright 1909 by The University of Chicago. 



NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE 



Dr. Lowell Mason 




1. Near- er, my God to Thee, Near - er to Thee: 

2.Though4ike the wan-der-er, The sun gone down, 



Een though it 
Dark- ness be 




«r — w — *~ *= — ■■ %-^f — * — * — ' *^> 

be a cross That_ rais-eth me; 

ov - er me, My ^ rest a stone;_ 



Still all my song shall be, 
Yet in my dreams I'd be 




SONGS 



215 




Near -er, my God, to Thee, Near- er, my God, to Thee, Near - er to 
Near-er my God, to Thee, Near- er, ray God, to Thee, Near.-er to 



Thee 
Thee, 




I THINK WHEN I READ 



English 



J Q A, 
























¥^ 


1. 
2. 
3. 

4. 


T 

I 

Yet_ 
In thi 


it 


thh 
wis 
stil 
bea 

m 


lk when I 
h -that His 
1 to His 
u - ti - ful 

J 


read 
hands 
foot - 
place 

J - 


that sweet sto - 
had been placed 

stool in prayer 
He is gone 

J I 


on 
1^ 

to 

J 


of old 
my head 
may go , 
pre - pare 

J 


"When 

That His 

And_ 

For 

J 



































J Q L 


















u\ '1 — "W '•"" ~^\. 1 ~ — ^ 






'Je 

am 
asl 
all 

■ c 


1 V * 

- sus wa 

is had bee 

1 for a 

who ar< 


s 1 
n t 

s 

i 1 


Lere a- mo 
hrown a-rov 
hare in Hi 
vashedandfc 


tnd 
s 
>r -^ 


mc 
mt 
lo\ 


n Ho 
5 An 

1 1 


<v H 
i tha 

^nd 


b called lit -tie chil-dren as 

t .1 might have seen His kind 

if I ear - nest - ly 

ma - ny dear chil - dren are 


S 












S = 




= 










lambs to His fold I should like to have been with them then, 

looks when He said, " Let the , lit - tie ones come un - to me." 

seek Him be - low, I shall . see Hint and hear Him -a -'fbove. 

gath "- er - ing there," For of - 'such is the king - dom ef heaven' 



2l6 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
MOTHER DEAR 



Oehme 



Andante, p 




There's naught I love so ten - der - ly As you my moth - er 




dear, And tho'ts of you they bring to me The thoughts of God more 




near. I love Him for the gift He gave, A gift Id keep al 




cresc. ^^ 

-^ P f- =-=■ 




way, The dear - est moth -er in the world; She grows more dear each day. 




Copyright 1901, Silver Burdett & Co. 



SONGS 217 

CAN A LITTLE CHILD Permission of Century Co. 




1. Can a lit tie 

2. For the fruit up 

3. For the sun - shine 
A. For our com - rades 



child, like me, 

on the tree, 

warm and bright, 

and our plays, 



Thank the Fa - ther 
For the bird? that 



For 
And 



the 
our 



day and 
hap - py 




fit ting ly? Yes oh 

sing of Thee For the 

for - the night; For the 

hoi i days; For the 



true, 
drest; 



yes! be good and 

earth in beau - ty 

les sons of our youth, 

joy ful work " and true 




Pa - tient, kind in 

Fa - ther, moth - er 

Hon or, grat - i 

That a lit - tie 



all' you do ; 

and the rest; 

tude and truth; 

child may do; 



Lovt the Lord and 

Fof thy pre <cious. 

For the love that 

For our lives but- 




do your part; 
lov - ing care, 
met us here, 
just be - gun; 



Learn to say with 

For thy boun - ty 

For the home and 

For the great gift 



all your^heart: 

eve - ry -where: 

for the cheer: 

of Thy feon: 



Fa - ther we 




thank Thee! Fa -ther we thank Thee! Fa -ther in heav-en,we thank Theel 



Wf f if F.f ' r r if SE i f l\ \ U^ m 



218 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

BUT THE LORD IS MINDFUL Mendelssohn 




But the Lord 'is mind-ful of His own 



He re 




mem-bersHischil dren But the Lord is . mmd - ful of His 




own. 



The Lord re - members His . chil - dren; re - mem iters Jhtte 




SONGS 



219 




CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

THANKSGIVING HYMN Sir George Elvey 



fjP tf J 






























l.Come, ] 

I 2. All tl 

ja. Ev - e 


4 

re th 
ie"wo 
n s 


ink-ful 
rid is 
a, Lord, 


'peo - pie, come, 
. Gods own field, 
" quick— ly come 


~0~< * 

Raise the song of 

Fruit un - to His 

To Thy fin - al 


3 ttgj ■ ' 
Har-vest home; 
praise. . to t yield; 
Har-vest home: 

"f*" 


*\ 




























r~ 




All is safe - ly- gath-ered in, Ere the win - ter 

"Wheat and tares to . - . geth - er sown,— Un - to joy. or 

Gath - er Thou Thy peo - pie in, " Free from sor - row, 



storms be.-, gin; 
sor - row. grown: 
free-- from, sin; 




m 



-? — o- 

God, our Mak - er, doth pro - vide For our wants to _be — sup^ plied; 

First the blade and then the ear, The! the full_corn. .shall. ap_=_pear: 

There for- ev - er pur - i - fied, In Thypres-ence to. a_._bide: 



[ if f i f /-.I \ i M i T i [ i 



Come to Gods own tern - p"le, come Raise the song; of Harvest Home. 

Lord of har-vest grant that we Wholesome grain and pure may be. 

Come with all Thine an - gels,come Raise the gIo-rious ;1 Har-vest home. A - men 

?■ A . f'f r f f r > *n f r> 



my -f r 



m$ 



1 



mm^ 



Copyright il 



by Scott, Foresman & Co. Used by permission of Silver, Burdett & Co. 

HARVEST S. S. Hymnal 




1 Come,, chil - dren lift your voic - ' es, And sing with us to day, As 

2JCome join our glad pro .- ces - sion, As on -ward still we move, Re 
3. May^ -we by ho - ly liv - ing Thy prais - es , ech - o forth, And 



SONGS 



221 




to the Lord of 
joic- ing in the 
tell Thy bound - less 



Har - vest Our grate - ful vows, we pay. We 
to - kens. Of. God our Fa - ther's love. All 
mer - cies To all the list'- nihg earth, May 




thank Thee, Lord, for 
good is His ere 
we grow up as 



send - ing" The gen - tie -show'rs of rain; For 

a - tion, All beau - ti - ful and fair, Birds, 
branch- es, In Him, the one True Vine, Bear 




Q a 














CI 


'e 


— 


— 




- -rto. 






su 

ii 

fn 


m-me 
1 - sec 
lit tc 

r — T 


r sui 

ts,bea 

Lil 

'- 1 


is \vh 
sts ai 
e I 


ich 
id 


o 

ri- 
fisl 

ter 

J 




■■ J * 

pen'd Th 
es Ol 
nal, Ar 


1 

e 

ir 

d 


" j 

fiel 
hai 
be 


— 
is 




ves 

fo 


I gold 
>t glad 
r - ev 

i ^ 


—*4 1 fir- 13 

- en grain; 

- ness share. 

- er Thine. 


s 










Lf 




3 fl"« 








■ 


■— f" 


- \ 





FULL. 




«r — f — -* f * »- 

Come, chil - dren, lift your voic - es, And sing with us to 




As to the Lord of Har- vest our grate - ful vows we pay. A- men 




222 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
WE PLOUGH THE FIELDS 



Glaeser 



iJLi. 


y jnf\ — 


r—J A 1 
















-tf- 


1. We 1 

2. He 

3. We 1 


Dlough the fields and 
on - ly is the 
thank Thee, then, 


scat -ter The 
Mak - er Of 
Fa - ther, For 


good seed o'er the 
all things near and 
all things bright and 


land: 
far: 

good, 


But 
He 
The 


W- 








r~3 -r I 


4 . ... J ~J l 


TJ7 


rg 


•* 



Play left-hand part ofle octave lower. 



I 



& 



J I $J J ^ I J r J^j J I ,1 I 



^* 



it is fed and 

paints the way - side 
seed - time and the 



wa - tercd By Gods al-might - y 



flow 
har 



hand 
He lights the ev' - ning star, 
vest, Our life, our health, our food, 



He 

The 

Ac 




sends the snow in win 
winds and waves o - bey 
cept the gifts we of 



ter, The warmth to swell the grain, The 
Him, By Him the birds are fed; Much 

jer, For all Thy love im - parts, And, 




breez - es and the 
more to us His 
what Thou most de 



sun - shine, And sweet re- fresh -ing rain./ 
chil - dren, He gives our dai - ly bread, 

sir - est, Our hum • ble, thank-ful hearts. 



SONGS 



223 



CHORUS 




thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for 



all 



HisF 



love. 




WE PRAISE THEE, LORD 



Moderato. 



Hopkins 




1. We praise Thee, Lorp%with 
2.fhy na - tions all are 
3. Thy hal - Iow'd name, Thy 



-* v v 

ear-liest morn - ing 
sing- ing night and 
King-dom in us 



ray, We praise Thee 

day, "Glo - ry to 

^dwell; Thy will ,con - 




with the 
Thee, the 
strain, and 



fad - ing light of 
migh - ty God /for 
feed and guide us 



aye 



All things that live and 

By Thee, thro' Thee, in 

well; Guard us, re - deem us 

I 



move by sea and 

Thee aU. be-ings 

in the e - vil 



■ y r r 'T FT M" "' r r ' M ' 



i 



i ! j i i ,', 



^ 



a 4 



.land For - ev - er 
are!" The list-'ning 
hour; For Thine- the 



7f. 

read - y 
earth re 
"glo - ry, 



T 

at Thy serv - ice 
peats the song a 
Lord, and Thine the 



stand, 
far. 
pow'r. A 



men. 



Copyright 1898, by Scott, Foresman & Co. Used by permission of Silver, Burdett & Co. 



224 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



AS JOSEPH WAS A-WALKING 

Charles Kingsley L. A. Coonley-Ward 




1. As Jo - seph was a - walk - ing, He heard an an - gel sing, 

2. As Jo - seph was. a - walk - ing, Thus did the an- gel sing, 



"This < 
And 




night shall be the birth - night Of Christ, our Heavenly King;. His 

• Ma- ry's Son at mid - night Was born to be our King; Then 




birth -bed shall be nei - ther In hous - en nor in hall, 
be you glad, good peo - pie, At this time of the year; 



Nor 
Id 




in the place -of Par - a - dise, But in ' the o - pen. .stall, 

light you up your can - dies. For His star, it shin- eth. .clear. 

/TV 



SONGS 



225 



i t* j. 1 J' ^ p r~r J' 1 J ' <J' p d 



He nei - ther shall be rocked" In sil - ver nor in gold, 



But 




in the fair white lin en That us - en "ba - bies all 




From Songs in Season, A. Flanagan, publisher. By permission. 



226 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
AMERICA 



Moderato; 






■ - 
















2.1 
■8.1 
4. 

a "* 


tfy co 
Sly . n 
-et ff 
Dur fi 


un - try, 
a - tive 

oi - sic 
1 -thers' 

t • -#• 


'tis 
cpun 
swell 
God, 

i. 


jof thee, 
try thee, 
the breeze 
to Thee, 


Sweet Land of 
Land of the * 
And ring . from 

. Au - tho* = of 


lib - er - tyi 
no - ble free, 
all the trees 
lib - er - ty, 


s 




1- 




















, 




~m p ^a 

\. Of thee I sing. 

8. Thy name- I love-, 

3.Sweet free - dom songi 
4. Tp Thee we siag. 



m 



m 



Land where, my 

I love thy 

Let mor-tal 

Long may our 



fa - thers died, Land of' the 

rocks and rills, Thy woojcteand 

tongues a - wake, Let all that 

land be bright With freedoms 



i f If f i t t f. linti 



^8 I -J> j 


















t) 




■f-n^- 






—€, * H 


pil - grims pride, 
tern- pled -hills; 


From 


ev - ry 


moun-tain side 


■ Let free - dom 


' ring- 


My 


heart with 


rap - ture thrills '■' 


"Like that a - 


bove. 


breathe par - take, 


Let 


rocks their 


si - lenceJjreak, "\ 


The sound pro - 


Sfe 


ho - . ly light, 


Pto- 


tect- -us 


by. Thy -might, 


Great God, our 


»vji Y. V L 




nn- 


t' "f f 


r I r 


■ B '^ ■ || 


S V 








J L <_ 











SONG TEXT 
P 



M. R. K. 




Be - hold, I bring you good ti -dings, gopd 



SONGS 



227 




ti dings of great joy — For un to you is born this day a 




Sa - viour, which is Christ .the Lord! , Un —to you ■ is born in the 




228 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

FROM THE BRIGHT BLUE HEAVENS Carl Reinecke 



iLfii 












tT- 


9 •"* 

L.From the 
2. With a 


bright 
Fa - 

i 

I o — 


blue heav-ens with the 
ther's kind- ness, gives him 


an 
dai. 


- gels mild, God our 
- ly bread Shields from 




lov - ing fa-ther looks on 
ev' - ry dan-ger ev*=- ry 

J. 



ev' - ry child; 
lit - tie head. 



Lov-iog-ly he lis - tens 
Tell all lit - tie chil - dren 




r ^ r 4r . 

to each lit - tie pray'r Watch -es ev'- ry foot -step with a fa - thers care, 

of this Fa-ther true, Who will ne'er for- sake them if His will they do 




Bless - ed is the man that trust - eth in Thee, in Thee O 



^=i 




§1\ f*itf$l fTTj^} J. jrTjj7% lii 



Bless -ed is the man that trust - eth in Thee, in whose heart are_Thy ways. 



SONGS 



229 



Martin Luther 



THE LITTLE LORD JESUS 

William James Kirkpatrick 



A - way in a man-ger, no crib for a bed, The lit - tie Lord 
The cat- tie are low-Lag 1 , the ba - by a - wakes, But lit -tie Lord 
Be near me, Lord Je - sus, I ask thee to stay Close by me for 




Je_ - sus 

Je - sus no 

ev - er, and 



down His sweet head The stars in the bright sky 
cry - ing He makes. I love Thee, Lord Je '- sus! 
love me I pray Bless all the dear chil-dren 



looked 

look 

in 



down where he lay The lit - tie Lord Je - sus a - sleep on the hay. 
down from the sky, And stay by my era - die till morn-ing- is nigh 
Thy ten- der care And fit us for heav-en to live with Thee there 



Copyright by Wm. J. Kirkpatrick. Used by permission. 

HEAVENLY FATHER, I WOULD PRAY 



J. H. KURZENKNABE 



Heaven-ly Fa - ther, I wouldpray, Come Thou near to me, 
Bless- ed Je - sus, I would ask For a gen - tie will; 




Teach me what to do and say, How to hon - or Thee. 
Help Thou me my ev - ery task Faith - ful to ful - fill. 




Used by permission J. H. Kurzenknabe. 



23° 



Lydia Avery Coonley 
Moderato. 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

CHRISTMAS SONG Frederic W. Root 



Why do bells for Christmas ring-? 
There a dar-ling ba -by lay 




Why do lit - tie chil-dren sing - ? Once a love - ly shin - ing star 
Pil - lowed soft up - on the hay, And His moth-er sang and smiled 




Seen by shep- herds from a - far Gent - ly moved un - til its light 

This is Christ, the Ho - ly Child" So the bells for Christmas ring 




Made a man-ger ora - die bright. 
So the lit - tie chil-dren sing_ 

3S 




From Singing Verses for Children. Used by permission. 



SONGS 
THE BIRTHDAY OF A KING 



231 
W. H. Neidlinger 



dhtw-Fn f r r 'if i i 1 




1 1 l-i MIL .flHi 


^ r r r f lip bp: f 


-3 — Sj3 — "^ — ' 
g g , 


J J nJ ^ J JT LU IK 3 

r 1 fr r r t£f C C 


) -^ fr . -4 L«L»J — ^^^ LaJ — 








Sky was bright with a ho - iy light, O'er the place where Je - 



sus 



232 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 




SONGS 



233 



*'J J' * J :p m- ■ > J J ij. . j .'j 



hum - ble birth-place, but oh! 



how., much God gave to. us that: 




» i J- J'g r p i't pr ^g 



From the man - ger bed what a path has led What a 




234 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 




Copyright G. Schirmer & Co. By permission. 

SONG TEXT 
JRevereiitly. 



M. R. K. 




SONGS 235 

THREE KINGS OF ORIENT Rev. J. H. Hopkins 




ll* K. We three 

2dR. Born a 

~3<iJ?. Frank - in - cense my 



kings of 
babe on 



O - rient are, 
Beth . fern's plain, 
of - fer - ing; 



Bear-- ing gifts, we 
Gold I bring to 
Cost - ly myrrh the 




tra - verse, far 
crown Him a -gain; 
gift I bring; 



Field and foun - tain, moor and moun - tain, 

King for - ev - er, cea - sing ne - ver 

Prayer and prai - sing, all now rai - sing, 



'*' J Jm r •> ' r p 1 r p 1 r p ' L r g 



i 



m 



CHORUS. 



i i ii. ■/• 



g 



¥ 



r 



Follow - ing yon - der star. 
His all - glo - rious reign. 

Worship - ing God on high . 



star of won - der, 



m i J- I ^ 



^M 



h 




-9 w w 

star of might, Star with roy - al beau - ty bright; West-ward 



t^f-i i f ' i f t i f i''i| i, if ■ tf=S 




lead - ing, still pro - ceed - ing, Guide us 



w 9 ^j- r , 

to the per - feet light. 



2$6 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
CAROL, BROTHERS, CAROL 



CHORUS. 



Rev. W. A. Muhlenberg 




pray a glad -some Christ -mas For all good Chris -tian men 

J> J> h ; K i k J> 'i: J) 



wnn? 



it I ,' | t f i fH lM 



^ /Yne. 




Car - olt broth -ers, car - ol 



Christ -mas Day a - gain. 




Ja - rol, but with, glad 
List'- ning an - gel mu 



ness, Not in songs of earth; 

sic Dis - cord sure must cease 



SONGS 



237 




On the Sa -viour's birth - day 
Who dare hate his broth - er 



al - lowed be our mirth;. 
On this day of peace? 




^ 



I 




While a thou - sand bless - ings 
While the heav'ns are tell - ing 



Fill our hearts with glee; 
To man-kind good -will, 



^ 



i^i r r ff^f 



* 



£ 



^ 



I IJ J 



Jf 



n> 



D. C. Chorus. 

rs r\ r\ r\ 



Christ- mas_ day well keep The 
On - ly love and kind ness 



Feast of-Cha - ri - ty. 
Ev - ry bo - som fill., 



2 3 8 



Charles Wesley 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
LOVING JESUS, MEEK AND MILD 



Eleanor Smith 




Lov - ing Je-sus, meek and mild, Look up - on a lit - tie child, 




J J r r I r 



m 



r r |J . r r -J |J J -J 



Make me^gen-tle as thou art, Come and live with ---in my heart. 



f^p 



J i J i j J.< 



w 



L 



?>'' i, r r 



^ 



inp 



M j j J J U j ,1 u-j J 



i 



I 



r=* 



Take my Child - ish hand in Thine, Guide these lit - tie feet of\ mine; 




So shall all my hap - py days, Sing their pleas -ant song of -praise. 




By permission of Thos. Charles Co. 



SONGS 239 

CAN YOU COUNT THE STARS, Eleanor Smith 



1. Can you count the stars, that bright- ly Twin - kle_ in the mid -night sky? 

2. Do you know how man - y chil-dren Rise each morn-ing, blithe and gay? 



k«u J J 



fefe 



fei; 



m 



r 



ft 



i_J 



i 



i=m 



^^ 



*==t 




Can you count the clouds, so light - ly O er the mead - ows float-ing by? 

Can you count the lit - tie . voi - ces, Sing-ing.sweet- ly, day by- day? 




God, the Lord, doth. 
God hears all the_ 



NH* 



e 



mark their num - ber v With" His eyes that, 
lit - tie voi - ces, In their pret - ty_ 



i t n 



tzt 



t53 



«/ 



i 



mm 



m r r 




nev - er slum-ber, He hath made them, «v - ry 
songs re - joic - es, He doth love them, ev - Vy 



By permission of Thos. Charles Co. 



one. 
one. 




240 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



MORNING 



Sir Joseph Barnby 




1. When morn - ing gilds the skies, My heart a-wak-ing cries_ May 

2. When - e'er ..the sweet, church bell. Steals o - ver. hill and dell May 




















Je - sus Ch 
Je - sus Ch 


rist be. 
rist be 


L_|_ *| i J j. — - — ' 

praised! A - like at work and 
praised! hark to what it 

. m +■ m 


. prayV 
sings 


To 

As 

•■mm- 






















1 


l~ ' 






■ — 1> 










- 




K — • 








Moderate 



DOWN TO THE SEA 



M. R. K. 



1. Brooks down the moun-tain side Rush with a song, 
8. So are our hu - man lives, Start- ing like ' rills 



ihii J i 



¥^$ 



seek - ing the 
l>wift - ly the 



* 



r 



FT? 



nf 



gj ^f 



r r 



i 



T 



SONGS 



241 




riv- ers wide Where they be - long, Flow-ing in -creas -ing-ly Grow_-ingun- 
cur- rent strives Down from the hills, Wid v - er each hour to be Full ~er each 




ceas - ing-ly Down to the migh - ty_ sea Spien-did an(| strong. 
powV to be Till God's e - ter - ni - ty Life's course ful -, fils . 




Words by permission of Ginn & Co. 



Slowly 



SONG TEXT 



M. R. K. 




What - so - ev - er ye would that men should do un - to 




you, do ye e - yen so un - to 



them. 



242 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



THE KING OF LOVE 



J. B. Dykes 



Joyfully. 

1 ft | 




















1. T 

2.W 

3. F 

4. I 
5.T1" 
6. A 


r 

he K 
lere str 
'er ve 

n de 
lou spre 
nd s 

r- p 


* 4 

ing o 
earns o 
rse a 
ath's dj 
adst a 
o, thi 




f 
f 

nd 
irk 

L 

•ough 

1 


love 
liv - 

fool N - 
vale 
ta - 
all 

1 > 


my 
ing 
ish, 

ble 
"the 


.Shep - herd 

wa - ter 

oft I 

fear no 

in my 

length of 

J — 3 f 


is, .Whose 
flow _ My 
strayd, But 

ill,. With 
sight, Thine 
days, Thy 

j n i 


s 












=&= 


f = 









i 



j i j n i 



ood - nes< 



$3-=* 



good - ness fail 
ran - som'd soul 
yet in love 

Thee, dear Lord, be 
unc - tion grace be 
good - ness tail 



eth 
He 
He 



eth 



nev 
lead 
sought 
side^- 
•stow 
nev 



er-, 

eth, 

me, 

me; 

eth; 

er; 



I 

And, 

And 

Thy 

And 

Good 




noth - ing lack if 

where the i vef - dant 

on His shoul-der 

rod and , staff my 

oh, the trans -port. 

Shep - herd,__ may I 



V fl u 














C\ 




















«r •* — 


*f 


is 


r * 5 * 






a 3 


I 


am 


His, And 


He is mine for • 


ev - er. 




pas - 


tures 


grow, With 
laid, And 


food ce-les^- tial 


feed - eth. 




gen 


• tly 


home, re-joic .- ing, 
Cross be- fore to 


brought me . 




com 


- fort 


still, Thy 


guide _ i 


Tie. 




of 


de-- 


light With 


which my cup o'er - 


flow ■ eth. 




sing 


Thy 


praise With 


in Thy house for' 


ev 


iT. 


A - men. 






— 


• J 


| . m . m' • • | 


•e- 






*\ 










' i y • ' ' 


r i 













Coleridge 



Gently 



HE PRAYETH BEST 



M. R. K. 




He pray- eth best who lov- eth best All things bpth great and small 




SONGS 



243 




For the dear God -who lov_-eth svis He made and lov-eth all. 




n \. r U f 



11J • j ^ •> 



*^p 



m 



s 



WHEN THE EARTH WAKES UP IN GLADNESS 



Fesca 




When the earth wakes up in glad - ness In the' ear - ly days of 
From the long sleep of the win - ter Allf ojhes back to life once 




spring, 
-more, 



i 



And ■" in- leaf and flower ■ re 
And each Jtgltyto of. g^ass -sip 



joi - ces, Let us 
spring - ing,- Joins a 



I 



J-JJJ J 



m 



i 



^ 




sing with heart and ..voi - ..ces," Prais - ing Him our Lord and- JKing. 

migh-iy. .chp - rus, sing - ing, Lord we ^praise Thee and a -" dore. 




By permission of Thos. Charles Co. 



244 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
SONG TEXT 



M. R. K. 



Slowly. 

W 1 |7.' if 1 ' *"~ 1 ~ 






-^ 




f — " 7 






— ^ 




Like as 

JU| x i r- 


a 


fa 


ther 


pit - i - 


eth his 


chil 


dren, 


f 


- 


f 


—J— 
-J- 


J 


7 


* J. 1 

f 


— s 
c 

n 


1 1 

J 













H 8 — f ' 


-r-6 






— f 






So the Lord hath mer - cy on them that fear 



Him. 



SONGS 
EASTER SONG 



245 
Eleanor Smith 



Con anima 




The lit -xtle flow- ere came from the ground. At Las-tertime, at Eas-ter time, They 




raised^their heads and -looked a - round, At hap - py Eas-tex time 




then each lit - tie bud did say,' Good ~peo - pie, bless this ho - ly day, -For 




Christ^is ris'n the an - gels say, This - ho - ly, ho - ly Eas-ter day 




By permission of Thos. Charles Co. 



246 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 
EASTER ANTHEM 



Arr. 



Maestoso 




Sons of men and an ~- gels say- Al 

Un - to Christ our Heavh - ly King Ai 



pppi 



PPPW 



mmff 



mm 




Raise your joys and tri - umphs high Al 

Who en-dured the cross and grave Al 




Sing ye heav'ns and earth re - ply Al 
Sin-ners to re - deem and save Al 



le - lu - ia. 
le - lu - iar 



A_ 
A 



men. 
men. 



SONGS 

SONG TEXT 
P 



247 
M. R. K. 
















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bid them 


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And for - 


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248 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 

SPRING SONG P. A. SCHNECKER 



Cheerfully . 




1. All is bright and cheer -M round us, All a--bove" 'is soft and ilue; 

2. If the floors that fade so quick -ly, If a day that ends in night,, 
3. There are leaves that nev - er with- er, There are flow'rsthaf ne'er de - cay: 




Spring at last, hath 
If- the skies that 
Noth - ing~ e - vil 



come and found us, 
cloud so thick -ly 
go - eth thith-er; 



Spring and all its 
Oft - en cov - ers 
Noth - ing good is 



pleas -ures, too; 

from our sight, 

kept a - way. 




Ev' - ry flQwV is 

If they, all have 

They that came from 



full of ' glad - ness , Dew is bright and buds are gay, 
so - much beau - ty, What must be God's land of £est, 
frib -u - la. -tion, Wash'd their robes and made them white, 




E)arth,with all its 

Where his sons that 

Out of ev'- ry 



sin and sad - ness, " Seems a hap - py place to-day. 

do their du - ty, Af - ter ma - ny toils are blest? 

tongue and na -tion, Now have rest, and peace, and light. 



SONGS 



249 



Grndunlly slower, 



ft Ji > «fr J' I J' n p p I p p P > 1 f p •> J 



Al - le - hi - iaj, Al - le - lu'- ia! Al - le - lu - ia! A 




By permission of G. Shirmer, 



GOD SENDS HIS BRIGHT SPRING SUN 



Allegretto 



Eleanor Smith 




1. God sends His bright spring sua To melt the ice and snow, To 

2. God sends His love to us, To make our good- ness grow, Let 




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s 



m^m 



start 
us 



the- green leaf buds, And make the flow - ers 
be .sweet like flowr's,That in the gar - den 



By permission of Thos. Charles Co. 



grow. 

blow. 




250 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



^JfP 



HOLY NIGHT 



Tyrolese Hymn 




Round yon Vir- gin moth - er and child. 

See .the*. • east - era wise men bring 

With the an - gels let us sing; 

Waked bjr an - gels' glor - ious strain 



Ho - ly in - fant ten - der and mild 

Gifts and_ Jiom - age to our King 

Hal - le>- lu - jah to our. King! 

Peace on earth good - will .to men. 




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Rests in he 

Je - sus ( 

Je - sus < 

Christ is 1 


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av - e 
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:hris1 
jora 
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peace, 
nere!" 
here! 
deed! 


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Rests 

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Christ 


in hea 
sus C 
sus C 

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hrist 
hrist 
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is 
in 


peace, 
nere! 
heret 
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SONGS 



251 



SONG TEXT 



M. R. K. 



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Let the peo - pie praise Thee. O God; 



Let 




INDICES 



INDICES 

INDEX OF SONGS 

FIRST LINES 



All is bright and cheerful round us 248 

As Joseph was a-walking 224 

Away in a manger 229 

Brooks down the mountain-side 240 

But the Lord is mindful of his own 218 

Can a little child like me ? 217 

Can you count the stars ? 239 

Carol, brothers, carol 236 

Christ, the Lord, is risen today 246 

Come, children, lift your voices 220 

Come, ye thankful people, come 220 

Father dear, I fain would thank Thee. . . 207 

Father, lead me day by day 204 

Forward, Christian children 205 

From the bright blue heavens 228 

God sends his bright spring sun 249 

He prayeth best who loveth best 242 

Heavenly Father, I would pray 229 

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty . . . 208 

Holy night, silent night 250 

I think when I read that sweet story of old 215 



In the little village of Bethlehem 231 

Joy to the world 206 

Loving Jesus, meek and mild 238 

My country, 'tis of thee 226 

Nearer, my God, to Thee 214 

Praise ye the Father 209 

The earth is hushed in silence 203 

The King of Love my shepherd is 242 

The little flowers come from the ground . . 245 

The year's at the spring 213 

There's naught I love so tenderly as you, 

my mother dear 216 

Thou that once on mother's knee 204 

We plough the fields 222 

We praise Thee, Lord, with earliest morn- 
ing ray 223 

We three kings of Orient are 235 

When morning gilds the skies 240 

When the earth wakes up in gladness .... 243 

Why do bells for Christmas ring ? 230 



INDEX OF SONGS BY TITLES 



PAGE 

America 226 

As Joseph Was A-walking 224 

But the Lord is Mindful 218 

Can a Little Child ? 217 

Can You Count the Stars ? 239 

Carol, Brothers, Caroi •. 236 

Christmas Hymn 204 

Christmas Song 230 

Down to the Sea 240 

Easter Anthem 246 

Easter Song 245 

Father, Lead Me 204 

Forward, Christian Children 205 



From the Bright Blue Heavens 228 

God Sends His Bright Spring Sun 249 

Harvest 220 

He Prayeth Best 242 

Holy Night 250 

Holy, Holy, Holy 208 

I Think When I Read 215 

Joy to the World 206 

Loving Jesus, Meek and Mild 238 

Morning 240 

Morning Prayer 207 

Mother Dear 216 

Nearer, My God, To Thee 214 



255 



256 



CHILD RELIGION IN SONG AND STORY 



PAGE 

Praise Ye the Father 209 

Spring Song 248 

Thanksgiving Hymn 220 

The Birthday of a King 231 

The King of Love 242 

The Little Lord Jesus 229 

The Lord's Own Day 203 



PAGE 

The Year's at the Spring 213 

Thou That Once on Mother's Knee 204 

Three Kings of Orient 235 

We Plough the Fields 222 

We Praise Thee, Lord v 223 

When the Earth Wakes up in Gladness . . 243 



SONG -TEXTS 



PAGE 

A new commandment 212 

All things come of thee, O Lord 207 

Behold, I bring you good tidings 226 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee . . 228 

Let the people praise Thee, O God 251 

Like as a father pitieth his children 244 

Our Father, who art in Heaven 234 



PAGE 

Praise the name of the Lord 212 

Suffer the little children to come unto me . . 247 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God 206 

Whatsoever ye would that men should do 

unto you 241 

Ye are my friends 214 



BOOKS USEFUL TO THE TEACHER USING THE LESSONS IN 

THIS VOLUME 

Coe: Education in Religion and Morals (Revell. $i .35). 

Harrison: A Study in Child Nature (Chicago Kindergarten Co. $1 .00). 

Tanner: The Child (Rand, McNally. $1 . 50). 

Sully: Studies in Childhood (Appleton. $2.50). 

DuBois: Beckonings of little Hands (Wattles. $1.00). 

Koons: The Child's Religious Life (Eaton and Mains. $0.75) . 

Brumbaugh: The Making of a Teacher (S. S. T. Co. $1.50). 

Houghton: Telling Bible Stories (Scribners. $1.25). 

Pease: An Outline of a Bible-School Curriculum (The University of Chicago 

Press. $1.50). 
Edersheim: Jesus the Messiah (Longmans, Green & Co. $1 .00). 
Edersheim: In the Days of Jesus (Revell & Co. $0.75). 
Wade: Old Testament History (E. P. Dutton & Co. $1 .50). 
Fulleylove and Kelman: The Holy Land (Macmillan Co.). 
Cornell: The Prophets of Israel (Open Court Publishing Co. $1 .00). 
Seldel: In the Times of Jesus (The University of Chicago Press. $0.75). 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The authors and publishers of Child Religion in Song and Story wish 
gratefully to acknowledge the kindness of various publishers of music for the 
use of songs, the publication of which is not ordinarily permitted outside their 
own works. They are as follows: Ginn & Co., publishers of The Educa- 
tional Music Course; Silver, Burdett & Co., and Scott, Foresman & Co., 
publishers of various series of books containing music for children; A. Flan- 
agan, publisher of Songs in Season;. Thomas Charles Co., publisher of music 
books for school use; G. Schirmer & Co., publishers of the two songs "The 
Birthday of a King," and "Spring Song;" The Brooklyn Sunday School 
Union; A. Kirkpatrick; and Mrs. R. A. Coonley Ward. 






OEL.TOGAT. Oiv. 

NOV 6 i^uy 



$1 



